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Cwmbran school pupils travel to Cardiff to support clean air campaign

a large group of children hold a banner saying 'I want clean air'
Pupils from Federation of Blenheim Road and Coed Eva Community Primary Schools (Photo: Torfaen Council)

More than 100 pupils from a Cwmbran school travelled to Cardiff to take their concerns about air quality to the Senedd.

Students from the Federation of Blenheim Road and Coed Eva Community Primary Schools told members of the environment and infrastructure committee that air pollution was a major concern.

The pupils said that as a platinum flag eco school they believed it was important legislation was introduced to improve air quality across Wales.

Scarlett, a Year 2 pupil from Coed Eva school, said: “We can all make a big change.”

Jaxon, a Year 2 pupil at Blenheim, said: “Lots of my friends have asthma so we hope the Welsh Government will make air cleaner in Wales”.

Paul Keane, executive headteacher at the Federation of Blenheim Road and Coed Eva schools, said:

“Changing our community and country for the better with daily small and incidental changes has empowered our learners to ask Welsh Government for legislation.

“Our learners take their role as citizens of Wales and the world extremely seriously, and this is an important step in their journey to being ethical and informed – a key purpose of our education here in Wales.

“Encouraging pupils to take an active role in our school and wider community is a great way of promoting the benefits of being in school regularly, as highlighted by the Not In Miss Out campaign.

“As a school, we will continue to lobby the Welsh Government to ensure the voices of our learners are reflected in the proposed forthcoming clean air bill.”

Last year they were the first schools in Torfaen to adopt Active Travel School Plans to encourage children and staff to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

Pupils have also taken part in Walk to School Week, an initiative to encourage parents to leave their vehicles at home.

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Cwmbran school pupils travel to Cardiff to support clean air campaign