SCHOOL children have joined forces to urge Knutsford businesses to reduce their use of plastic.

Pupils from eight schools across the town have established a Sustainable Development Award to recognise businesses which have made a major contribution to making Knutsford plastic free.

The award has been created by the children, working with Knutsford Town Council and town mayor Cllr Andrew Malloy, and supported by Bella Design.

In a letter to be sent to businesses in the new year the children implore the business community to consider reducing their plastic use.

The letter says: “Our fightback starts right here in our town of Knutsford.

“We wish to make our town ‘Plastic Free’ as far as we possibly can and become a beacon for sustainable development in the north west.

“It will be our generation which will inherit a world left paralysed by plastic pollution unless you have the courage to act now.”

To be awarded a certificate businesses are asked to consider what they can do to reduce or remove plastic.

They have until March 31 to demonstrate three things they have done to reduce plastic use in their business, show how it has made an impact and consider their plans for the future.

The schools involved are Egerton, Manor Park, Bexton, St Vincent's, Mobberley, High Legh and Little Bollington Primary Schools and Knutsford Academy.

Alison Hooper, headteacher at Egerton Primary School, and co-ordinator of the award, said: “Cllr Malloy has put youth at the top of his agenda for his Mayoral year and chaired his first combined schools' council in 2019.

“Our children were amazed by the fact that in weight there is more plastic than fish in the sea, so decided their number one priority was to try and make Knutsford plastic-free. They believe together we can make a difference.’

Businesses are encouraged to make their submissions to the council offices by March 31 for a chance to win an award for sustainability.

Alison Hooper leads a cluster of 35 Cheshire East schools as part of the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning Programme.

She said: “The focus of this programme is to embed a strong approach to global learning into the curriculum as well as identifying a collaborative pupil project based on the Sustainable Development Goals.

“We decided to focus on responsible consumption and production, with the focus on reducing plastic use.

“One aspect of this project was to engage with the community to challenge them to get involved. The British Council is using our work as a case study to support schools in other areas nationally.

“Children from school councils of Egerton, High Legh, St Vincent’s and Mobberley met with Cllr Malloy in September to present their proposal for making Knutsford a plastic-free town, as well as outlining the fantastic work already going on in their schools.

“An idea generated at this meeting was to announce a sustainability award from the schools.”