BICSc revamps David Bellamy award for sustainability in schools

28 July, 2010

The award was originally developed in 2000 to recognize the successful working partnership between the cleaning team and the school, with particular reference to achieving a sustainable cleaning method and improving the local environment.

This year’s award will focus on the requirements of the National Framework for sustainability in schools. As a cleaning institute, BICSc believes that the working relationship between the cleaning team and pupils is a reflection of collaborative working for the benefit of the environment and is paramount to achieve the criteria set out in the BICSc David Bellamy awards.

The revamped award program is measured against the objectives of the framework’s sustainability themes and encompasses the Department of Education’s belief that schools are guided by a commitment to care: care for oneself; care for each other and care for the environment.

The award is open to all cleaning teams working in schools with pupils aged five to 16 years and is a joint venture between its cleaning staff, pupils and teachers. Both cleaning staff and pupils will be required to work together to achieve the objectives in the three sustainability themes: energy and water; purchasing and waste; and travel and traffic

Prizes will be for two categories: primary school and secondary school. The first prize in each category will be GBP4,000 ($6,231 approx) plus a plaque, and the runner up will receive GBP1,000 ($1,558 approx).