MEDIA ADVISORY NOTE | MONDAY 19 JUNE 2023 | EAST BIRMINGHAM SCHOOLS TAKE ON PRINCE WILLIAM’S EARTHSH

250 East Birmingham schoolchildren have put their creative and innovative young minds to the critical task faced by the world’s best brains today – how to solve the climate crisis.

Pupils from fifteen primary schools across Hodge Hill are heading to Millennium Point on Monday 19 June with their best shots for solutions to community climate change challenges, in a Birmingham version of Prince William’s global Earthshot Prize.

The Year 5 and Year 6 children were asked to tackle one of five challenges: protect and restore nature, build a waste-free world, clean our air, fix our climate and revive our oceans.

And to give the children a feel for real-life environmental entrepreneurship, local businesses have provided advice and Severn Trent has committed thousands of pounds to turn the winning ideas into local reality with £2,500 for the first prize; £1,500 for the second and £1,000 third prize.

The winning schools will be selected at the live final on Monday 19 June.

Media are welcome to join the live final at Millennium Point.

There are restrictions in place for filming and photography due to child safeguarding - staged photographed and interviews with winners will be permitted but candid shots will not be allowed as some children may not be permissible to film. Further guidance can be provided should you wish to attend. WHAT: The East Birmingham Schools’ Earthshot Prize Final WHEN: Monday 19 June, 9.30am-1.30pm (full schedule below). Media able to attend the whole event should arrive 8.30-9.00am. There are two other windows for media to arrive: 11.05-11.20am and 12.05-12.15pm. Awards presented 12.30pm. WHERE: Millennium Point, Curzon St, Birmingham B4 7XG WHAT ELSE: Pre-filming at a participating school can be arranged POST-EVENT: A post-event visit to the winning school to see how they have put their winning idea into action. Filming/photography for this visit can also be arranged. The final will be filmed and live streamed via Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/hodge-hill-generation-earthsho/246820784709088/

The primary schools heading to the final at Millennium Point are Adderley School, Alston, Brownmead Academy, Firs, Highfield, Lea Forest, Leigh Primary, Marlborough Primary, Nansen Primary, Parkfield, The Rosary, St Saviours, Tame Valley, Thornton and Washwood Heath Primary. Hodge Hill MP, Liam Byrne, who has championed the East Birmingham Schools Earthshot Prize, will present the awards to the winning schools at 12.30pm. Mr Byrne said: “Birmingham schoolchildren are brimming with bright ideas to tackle the environmental problems of our day. “The children have turned their young activist minds to find workable answers to local climate issues. And local businesses and the local community are right behind them, ready to celebrate their winning ideas and give Birmingham its own shot at saving the Earth, one action at a time”. Severn Trent has pledged the prize money while Millennium Point has donated use of the venue; other local supporters include the World’s Largest Lesson, Tyseley Energy Park, the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Birmingham City Council. Ends Contact: Olivia Coyle olivia.coyle@parliament.uk Notes to Editors: 1. Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020 to ‘find extraordinary solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges.’ Read more here. 2. East Birmingham Schools’ Earthshot Prize Digital check-in: The schools shared the progress they were making in developing their ideas on 23 March. See here for photographs. 3. The schoolchildren were challenged to take on the climate crisis through solutions to local environmental issues; they had to consider the practicality of implementation, too. The remit sent to the schools can be seen here in ‘Earthshot Schools Letter 100123.pdf’. 4. The judges are Abbie Vlahakis (Chair), Millennium Point; David Horsfall, Tyseley Energy Park; Gareth Morgan, Birmingham & Black Country Wildlife Trust; Jack David, World’s Largest Lesson; Liam Byrne, MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill; Mark Gamble, Birmingham City Council; and Tamsin Morgan, Severn Trent. 5. Schedule for East Birmingham Schools’ Earthshot Prize Final: