Go Green Futures Fair 2022 

In a climate change emergency, it was crucial that we had a sustainable Futures Fair with Go Green theme. Companies and HE Institutions shared their own eco friendly values, aims and tips with students - all found under the Higher Education and World of Work Zones the Futures Fair website.  We are grateful to them all for educating us all about eco-friendly futures. 

North east companies are working hard to ensure there is so much eco friendly education and employment contributing to saving our planet. We were delighted that companies like Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Urban Green Newcastle, Driving the Electric Revolution, Turntide, Equinor, Dogger Bank, North east LEP Energy Sector to name a few could join us to fly the green flag. 

How was this as a green event?

• The Futures Fair website reduced any multiples of paper materials.

• Any necessary handouts were on recycled paper

• All visitors have shared their company Go Green values/aims as well as tips for students, which we added to this website

• Students used their Student Planners rather than printed programmes and all received a 2 in 1 Recycled Carton Barrel Ball Pen & Yellow Highlighter to plan

• Seeds of Gratitude collected by Dame Allan’s Careers Team and Student Ambassadors - bee friendly wildlife seeds (ragwort, poppy, echinacea, wild geranium, sunflower) were given to visitors to plant in gardens in spring to make the wildlife happy!

• Eco friendly mug for all visitors - to use on the day & take home to cut down on disposable cups. Thank you to Parkers Branded for supplying the double-wall seaglass green insulated tumbler. Contains 25% plastic derived from sugar cane. This renewable source absorbs carbon dioxide whilst growing and is a by-product of the sugar industry. The use of sugar cane means less oil is used in the manufacture of each tumbler. The tumbler is 100% recyclable and packed in a home compostable bag. Made in the UK. 75% PP Plastic and 25% Sugarcane bioplastic.

• Visitors and parents were asked to consider car share or public transport to the event to consider the environment.

• Locally sourced refreshments and plant based biodegradable cups

Find Your Future Form Time 

A mini careers curriculum tailored to Year 7-9 and Years 10-13 is themed around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Dame Allan's sign in)

Our Futures Fairs include sustainability and eco-friendly messages -

• Sevcon brought an electric car in 2014 and an electric motorbike in 2016 

• Go Green focus in 2022

In National Careers Week 2020 the Eco Fair helped to develop students' awareness of  sustainability and the environment. 

The organisations that joined us were-

• Catapult-Offshore renewable energy

• North East LEP-Energy Innovation Partnership

• The Environment Agency

• Sea Pigs-Beach and Lifestyle Products-Carbon Positive and Zero Waste

• Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd

• Tesco- Climate Change Manager (Allanian alumna Briony Waugh gave a presentation to our Sixth Formers)

Principal's blog about Dame Allan's focus on Sustainability- Small Steps-Big Changes 2020.

Our Eco Panel and Forest Schools

• We have an active Eco Panel who promote re-using and recycling and saving electricity across the Schools

• We only print when necessary and use recycled paper

• We recycle paper

• Forest Schools and outdoor activities are so important from Juniors into Seniors. 

Juniors-   Classes held in the School’s outdoor classroom - “Woodland Way”- and in the recently installed yurt encourage children to explore and be adventurous. Both facilities are central to the School’s exciting Skogsmulle programme, a Swedish educational initiative which centres around a fantasy figure who informs children about nature through play and song. (Chronicle)

North End Development - our current Senior School site new build 2022 includes-  

The environmental elements of the project will include a large living wall on the North side of the school, with electric charging points for vehicles. (Northern Echo  Chronicle).

Transport- Link to information

We encourage students and staff to cycle, take public transport and car share

Waste

Warrens food waste currently collects all our waste food products which are then processed by an Anaerobic digestion; a natural process that uses micro - organisms to break down organic matter to produce valuable renewable resources such as bio-fertiilizer and power.

Clarks Oils collect our waste oil from our schools and recycles it in a variety of formats including in animal feeds.

Food

Particularly good potatoes supply our chips are from Wooler where the potatoes are grown, harvested and “chipped” all in the same site - a local farm employing local people. 46 miles from field to door

Grants Butchers, just outside of Wylam, Northumberland supplies our burgers. 10 miles from farm to door.

Local artisan bakery supplies our bread, baked daily and some of our pies. Simon at the bakery has always prided himself on using locally milled flours and ingredients - family bakery run for over 40 year, started in Whickham and now based in the Team Valley.  12miles from oven to door

Collingwoods Seafoods supply Dame Allan's with all fresh fish products "Situated in a prime location on North Shields fish quay we are only thirty seconds walk to where the boats land their catches – ensuring we have nothing but the best quality local fish available." We can trace every piece of local fish we buy – back to the boat, the skipper, area of catch and when it was caught!

10 miles from fishquay to our door

The majority of our other meats come from a catering butcher just off the A69 who uses carefully selected locally sourced farms.

Fresh fruit and vegetables come from the market based in the Team Valley and are delivered to us each morning.

Summary with links to suppliers-

• We source burgers from Grants butchers, Wylam and pork reared in the Northumberland/ County Durham borders, 10 miles from farm to door.

• Most other meat comes from a catering butcher near the A69 who use carefully selected local farms. All meat is Red Tractor and Soil Association accredited.

• Fish comes from Collingwood Seafood on North Shields Fish Quay (10 miles away) and can be traced back to the boat it is caught from. It is therefore not on the Marine Conservation Society ‘fish to avoid’ list.

• Eggs come from Lintz Farm, Burnopfield and are RSPCA-assured free range.

• Particularly Good Potatoes of Wooler supply our chips - the potatoes are grown, harvested and “chipped” on the same local farm.

• Bread and other baked goods such as pies come from Bakehouse artisan bakery, Team Valley who use locally milled flours and ingredients.

• Fresh fruit and vegetables are delivered daily from a market in the Team Valley.

• Warrens collects our food waste for processing by anaerobic digestion, using micro-organisms to break down organic matter and produce biofertilizer and power.

Clark’s Oils collect our waste oil and recycle it for animal feed and other products.

Jobs in those “areas of the economy engaged in producing goods & services for environmental protection purposes, and those engaged in conserving & maintaining natural resources”.

 (Environmental Goods and Services Sector, UN System of Environmental Economic Accounting.)

“Employment in an activity that directly contributes to - or indirectly supports - the achievement of the UK's net zero emissions target and other environmental goals, such as nature restoration and mitigation against climate risks.” 

(Green Jobs Taskforce, convened by the Departments for Education and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.)

 “Decent jobs that contribute to preserve or restore the environment, be they in traditional sectors such as manufacturing and construction, or in new, emerging green sectors such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.” 

(International Labour Organisation.)