Over the last two years our Prefect body has been encouraging both the College and its pupils to strive for a better future, focussing on global issues which mean the most to them. This led to the launch of the Pupil Strategy at the beginning of last year, based around the three aims of Sustainability, Equality and Transparency, and now, in the form of the Leavers’ Wood, another pupil-led environmental sustainability project has come to fruition.
We all need to start taking a proactive approach to helping the environment, one step at a time.
Charlie Ward (I 14-19)
In 2019, then Sixth Form pupil Charlie Ward (I 14-19) put forward an idea to increase the sustainability of the College’s natural surroundings while also providing an opportunity for the outgoing Sixth Form each year to leave a legacy. Working with Charlotte Lemstra (K 15-20) and the JCR to help make the idea become a reality, the first 11 trees for the Leavers’ Wood project were finally planted in September 2020 after a short delay due to the pandemic. The project will see trees planted to represent the leavers from each of the 11 senior boarding houses every year which will help to create a wooded area of over 100 trees over the next decade. The trees representing our ‘Class of 2021’ were planted in June 2021.
“I am so thrilled that the tree scheme I started when I was at Bradfield has finally come to pass”, said Charlie upon seeing the first set of trees planted. I want to say a massive thank you to the Grounds Team and Mr Clegg for keeping our idea alive. We all need to start taking a proactive approach to helping the environment, one step at a time.”
Charlotte was also pleased to see the project get off the ground. “Charlie and I are so excited to see all the trees being planted. We wanted to do our little bit for the planet and at the same time leave our legacy at Bradfield.”
The sustainability element is not only part of the broader education but also part of Bradfield’s Education for Life.
Phil Clegg, Head of Sixth Form
The College is committed to increasing biodiversity and caring for the natural environment in which we are privileged to be located. This commitment is one of a number of strands which form a wider-arching Environmental Strategy aiming to embed sustainability through cultural change and awareness, something Phil Clegg is championing throughout the staff body.
“It reinforces our Environmental Strategy which is embedded within the College ethos and which has been driven by the pupils. The sustainability element is not only part of the broader education but also part of Bradfield’s Education for Life.”
We wanted to do our little bit for the planet and at the same time leave our legacy at Bradfield.
Charlotte Lemstra (K 15-20)
