One of the things I am passionate about is the importance of education because it is the wealth of the individual and the nation.
Also, I feel the school’s ambience must promote learning in an environment with natural habitats, greenery, and cleaner air, which is not easy for schools facing significant demands on budgets.
I was therefore delighted when Vikki Zeila, the vice-chair of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), approached me last year to help secure funding for a well-researched project initiative costing £55,000 based on a survey by the PTA in 2023 to ensure that the young children and the families they serve have excellent opportunities and take pride in their local community.
The PTA survey asked how the school community would like to focus funding initiatives to address environmental issues by undertaking a detailed consultation with the senior leadership team, parents, children and local eco-groups.
As a result, the Knaphill Schools Eco-Project was developed to bring together the wider community to improve areas around Knaphill by sharing knowledge and expertise to encourage changes in behaviour around climate change by undertaking simple, clear and achievable objectives, e.g. recycle, walk to school, eat green, uniform sales, enhancing the local environment, respect our planet.
Unfortunately, despite concerted, raising funds for the project has not been easy. However, with perseverance, we raised £2,700 through donations from local businesses and events, which was well short of the project's total cost.
In my readiness to collaborate across party divisions to serve residents’ interests, I reached out to my Conservative Party colleague, Saj Hussain, who has been the Surrey county councillor for Knaphill since 2013. As a county councillor, Cllr Hussain, who is also chairman of Surrey County Council, has access to a bigger pot of funding than I have as a borough councillor.
Therefore, Debbie Harrison, the headmistress, Vikki, and I recently invited Cllr Hussain to look at the project's potential to help provide a healthy learning environment. During his school visit, we were delighted when Cllr Hussain recognised the project's potential in actively encouraging young children to protect the environment.
The project also aims to introduce practical aspects of localism-based activities encouraging civic duty as part of the academic curriculum. Crucially, it will bring generations together and inspire the young to protect the environment with the right skills and awareness early in their lives. Sharing skills and expertise will help promote social cohesion and strong ethical values for the mental and physical wellbeing of the society during difficult times facing Woking residents.
For further information about the project, don't hesitate to get in touch with Vikki at [email protected]