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Academy students lead the way at first ever Co-op Live Eco Conference

Students and pupils from across our Trust recently came together for an exciting day of learning at the Co-op Live arena. This was the first time the annual Eco Conference was held at the world-class venue, bringing together 98 young people from 16 different academies. It was a fantastic chance for our students to learn how small changes can make a big difference to our planet.

Throughout the day, students took part in workshops run by Co-op colleagues and local partners. They enjoyed a sustainability talk and quiz with fairandfunky and teamed up with Groundwork to learn how to reduce water wastage. In a creative session with the Co-op Live team, students repurposed old staff uniforms to make draught excluders. They had the choice to take these home or donate them to a local charity to help others keep warm.

The day also included a behind-the-scenes tour of the arena. Students visited the Artists' Dressing Rooms and the Bentley Suite, all while learning about the eco-friendly features built into the stadium. For lunch, they even worked with professional chefs to make their own pizzas using sustainable ingredients. Everyone went home with a "SCRAPtastic" craft book full of recycling ideas and a special Co-op Live keepsake.

We are so proud of how our students worked together to think about the future. By learning how to save water and reuse materials, they are bringing brilliant ideas back to our community. It was a wonderful day that showed how our young people are ready to protect the world around them.