Bryony Pl
Conniburrow
Milton Keynes MK14 7AR

The planet is under threat from global warming and young people want to take action. MK schools can take action on thecentre:mk shopping centre, which welcomes each year 25 million shoppers…and £750m of shoppers’ spending. Some ideas for reducing its carbon footbrint are:
- increase availability of drinking water taps/fountains in restaurants/shops and public areas to reduce unnecessary use of single-use plastic bottles.
- increase number and quality of recycling stations.
- increase number and quality of cycle parking spaces.
- ask thecentre:mk to follow MK Council’s lead in pledging to be carbon-neutral by 2030.
School councillors from the following schools will be attending: Jubilee Wood Primary, MK Academy, Orchard Primary, St. Monica’s Primary, St. Paul’s Secondary, Southwood Primary.
AGENDA
9.15 Arrival & Registration at Southwood Primary School, Bryony Pl, Conniburrow, Milton Keynes MK14 7AR. BRING PACKED LUNCHES.
9.20 Welcome from Headteacher Kate Mathews, see Greta video. What power does thecentre:mk have over our environment? (quiz)
9.30 How to build relational power and ‘Weaving Trust’ activity between students of different schools (What do you do to reduce global warming? What more could you do? What more could thecentre:mk shopping centre do to reduce global warming?)
10.00 Presentations and testimonies from leaders of MK Green Alliance on the impact of single use water bottles, cycling and recycling at thecentre:mk shopping centre:
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- Kirsty Forshaw, Research Fellow for DeMontfort University on ‘POWER’ project & Refill Champion for MK – the problem of plastic water bottles, how the Refill scheme works and how to find out what retailers in thecentre:mk are doing about it.
- Sharon Ghoulia – recycling and why restaurants and cafes in thecentre:mk could do more to reduce landfill.
- Craig Broadbent – travel pollution from journeys to/from thecentre:mk and what thecentre:mk could do to encourage cycling.
10.15 Research plan – identify and prioritise issues, design questionnaire for listening campaign (example survey), brief on research roles, allocate survey locations in thecentre:mk.
10.45 BREAK & move to survey locations in shopping centre
11.00 Research Action – survey shop staff and thecentre:mk users
12.15 Arrive at afternoon location, Council Chamber (first floor) at MK Civic Offices MK9 3EJ, for lunch (pupils’ packed lunches). Squash and biscuits available in lounge before entering.
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- Pupils present research findings by school group
- Cllr Hannah Minns, Climate Change Task and Finish Group’ – MK Council has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030
- Cllr Lauren Townsend – young people can have a big impact
12.30 LUNCH & Crunch – packed lunches and survey data crunching
1.00 Present survey results, prioritise issues for action, identify power holders and create SMART campaign goals
1.45 What MK Council is doing to act on climate change, and what it’s like for me being involved in it, and who has the power to help us do more – Cllr Jennifer Marklew, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Climate Action
1.50 Agree Assembly action plan
2.00 Move to Main Worship Area in Church of Christ the Cornerstone
2.15 Citizens:mk Assembly
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- Welcome to Cornerstone & Citizens:mk
- David Chapman – my campaign to reduce Cornerstone’s carbon footprint
- Pupils’ presentation of research findings and campaign goals to leaders of Citizens:mk member institutions (including Kurshida Mirza)
2.30 Evaluation
2.45 END – collection from Church of Christ the Cornerstone, MK9 2ES.
DIRECTIONS – Walking route and school zones for thecentremk research
RISK ASSESSMENT
Hazards
- Pupil(s) injured in physical collision with moving vehicle while moving to/from the research action in thecentre:mk.
- Pupil(s) stray from group while moving to/from, and/or during, the research action in thecentre:mk.
- Pupil(s) spoken to rudely while talking with shop/restaurant assistant during research action at thecentre:mk.
Control measures
- All pupils briefed by Community Organiser, and by lead teachers from their schools, on safe movement to/from thecentre:mk
- All pupils supervised at all times by lead teacher from their school and given maps of route with key meeting points and contact details.
- All pupils briefed by Community Organiser on Dos and Don’ts of gathering questionnaire data and supervised at all times by lead teacher from their schools.
Please contact Community Organiser Tom Bulman, tel 07962 838685, with any questions.
(Photo shows pupils and teachers at Refugees Welcome Schools Training Day, 5.10.18.)