Tipperary school hosts sustainability exhibition in bid to make Clonmel a fairtrade town

Students are hoping to make Clonmel a fairtrade town and are stepping up their campaign with a sustainable action exhibition in the school next week.

The students at Loreto Clonmel are totally committed to sustainability and have already taken  action in their own school.

They have have eliminated single use plastic bottles and have distributed flyers to local businesses around Clonmel asking them to register with Refill.ie so that they can receive a sticker for their window to let customers know they are happy to refill their reusable bottles with tap water.

More water filling points have been installed in the school to facilitate refills throughout the day. 

And the school also has reusable cups for students to use during the day should they forget to bring their water bottle to school.

A spokesperson said - “We would strongly advocate this in other schools that are experiencing the same kind of waste as we did.

“ It has now become a government directive to stop the use of single use plastics. It is great that we have the backing of our leaders in the fight against plastic pollution.

“Loreto Secondary School Clonmel hope to become a plastic free school in the very near future”

Students have working on other sustainable projects this year which they hope to launch at the exhibition in the school on next Wednesday, April 10.

This includes the  school community getting involved in marking Fairtrade fortnight.  

The school is   now serving Fairtrade tea and coffee in thje  staffroom and canteen. 

 Loreto has  sent off its application and is awaiting  status as a Fairtrade school.

 The attendance at the sustainability exhibiton will include  past pupil Rachael Blackmore, one of the country's top jockeys who recently had two winners at the Cheltenham festival, MEP Sean Kelly, Senator Grace O’Sullivan and Mayor Richie Molloy.

Many  local community groups will be taking stalls at the exhibition.

The students have also asked other schools to follow their sustainabilty initiative, incluidng its sister Loreto schools across sthe country.