Kids Pledge ASAP: Info For Schools, Parents and Youth Leaders

Northern Ireland’s Baglady, Shirley Lewis, launched KIDS Pledge ASAP at Ballymacrickett Primary School, Glenavy, County Antrim on 16th March. A unique environmental initiative for children and young people, KIDS Pledge ASAP is part of a three month dash to cross community schools across Northern Ireland. The KIDS Pledge ASAP project will culminate in a special KIDS Pledge Day at Stormont on Mid Summer’s Day (21st June 2010).

If you would like your school or youth organisation to be part of KIDS Pledge ASAP, please contact the Baglady at [email protected]. Participating schools and organisations will have the opportunity to send representatives to Stormont as part of KIDS Pledge Day.

Teachers/Youth Leaders: if you would like your students to get involved, you can print off the KIDS Pledge ASAP form here. This form should be sent home to the parents/guardians to complete the pledge with their children.

KIDS Pledge ASAP is an excellent project when viewed as part of the ‘Learning for Life and Work’ strand of ‘Local and Global Citizenship’ ( Key Stage 3) and Environment and Society (Key Stage 4).

A passionate life-long advocate for the environment, Ballymena born Shirley Lewis is shocked at how severely degraded the countryside and coastline has become with non biodegradable rubbish. “For every linear mile in Northern Ireland there are approximately 30,000 pieces of non-biodegradable rubbish” she says.

Shirley developed her comic Baglady persona to battle with Northern Irish apathy when it comes to environmental policy and to focus on grass-root action to change the way we live, person by person, street by street, town by town.

When living in Australia (where she spent 30 years) Shirley Lewis launched the first nation-wide campaign against the excessive use of plastic bags. Since returning home Baglady has worked with 23 councils on environmental projects, speaks widely across Ireland and the UK and has visited nearly 200 schools.

Shirley Lewis is a writer, broadcaster and filmmaker. She is also a veteran environmental campaigner who aims to rid the world of rubbish, and fight against waste. Since returning to Northern Ireland from Australia Shirley has been living ASAP. This involves living without a car, an oil tank, a printer , a mobile phone and (whenever humanly possible) all forms of packaging. When visiting schools Baglady wears a fantastic array of plastic bags.

The only way we ever affect change is through a cascade of small efforts. In the midst of our busy lives these are the actions we can do to make a difference. Why not lead our children by example? The more adults they see participating, the more excitement will build and the more they will feel as though they are part of something bigger than themselves. Sign up to the ADULTS Pledge ASAP today and get your school or youth group to join The KIDS Pledge ASAP.