Winners announced for diocesan inaugural Laudato Si’ Awards

Friday 19th July 2024

Following a number of impressive nominations showcasing outstanding care for the environment, winners have been announced for the inaugural Laudato Si’ Awards introduced this year by our diocesan Laudato Si’ Centre.

Eleanor, a year 4 pupil of St Michael and St John Catholic Primary School in Clitheroe emerged winner in the primary schools category, for her outstanding commitment and care for the environment, demonstrated in giving up her free time after school and on weekends, to help develop gardening projects around the school and wider community.

Eleanor who is an ardent member of the school’s Laudato Si’ Missionary Disciples group was described by her school’s Headteacher and Laudato Si’ Lead as a fierce promoter of environmental care, who has shown great dedication in spreading the Laudato Si’ message and supporting younger ones to learn more about caring for our common home. She has also supported the group in organising community fun days and nearly new sale events.

In the high schools category, a team of students from Our Lady and St John Catholic College in Blackburn emerged winners for creating an innovative and environmentally friendly wildflower seed dispersal unit.

The students – Damien Blurton, Lauren Evans, Alyssa Fletcher, Jeremiah Wilson, Amelia Ingham, Annie Palmer, Demi-Leigh McPherson and Favour Ajibola were inspired by the drive to motivate fellow young people and instill in them the value of growing and looking after native wildflowers.

According to the students, the dispersal unit is designed to be placed on gate posts along footpaths so walkers can collect wildflower seeds to then scatter on their walk.

Overall School Winner

Sacred Heart Primary School in Westhoughton Bolton also received special recognition as the overall school winner for their relentless efforts in carrying out numerous projects to promote care for the environment.

Runners up for the award in the primary schools category include Edie from St Joseph’s Reddish; Kush from Sacred Heart Westhoughton, Ayona from Holy Rosary Oldham and Lily from St Malachy Manchester. Students of St Thomas More College in Denton and  St Ambrose Barlow in Manchester emerged as runners up for the high schools category.

“It’s all Good News”

Emily Cahill, Environment and Learning Officer at Laudato Si’ Centre said;

“We were blown away with the quality of the nominations. It was an incredibly hard task to choose a shortlist and a winner. Our Salford schools are leading the way in caring for creation. They should all be very proud of themselves”.

Presenting the awards to the winners, Bishop John congratulated the students and appreciated them for leading the way and promoting care for the environment in their schools and wider communities.

“Congratulations to all of you and thank you very much for making the care of the environment so high profiled in your schools and communities. I am also going to so many schools and finding projects everywhere and that’s all very good news indeed. I have to say that the Diocese of Salford has got a leading name for being concerned about care for our common home.

We should be very proud of that lead and all that we are doing and as Pope Francis says, each and every one of us has our part to play and you are certainly playing your part and influencing others.”

Tagged | awards | Environment | Laudato Si Centre | Schools