A RAMSBOTTOM Primary School has been awarded with a gold award by the Woodland Trust.

Hazlehurst Community Primary School, on Geoffrey Street, has been awarded the Green Tree School Gold award by the trust for getting involved in green activities including tree planting, visiting a local woodland, reducing carbon emissions and recycling.

The Green Tree Schools initiative, which has seen nearly 12,000 schools sign up since it was launched in 2008, offers the opportunity to bring the great outdoors, wildlife and green issues into the classroom.

Hazlehurst Primary School has planted new trees in their school grounds, visited local woods, taken photographs, created pictures and joined in various other Woodland Trust activities.

Headteacher of the school, Anne-Marie Knowles said: “Well done to the whole school who managed to have a go at so many activities during our Art Week including woodland walks, photography from Holcombe Hill, taking part in a tree assembly, making woodland words and images and creating fantastic displays around school.

“This enabled us to be awarded the Green Tree School Gold Award.

“The children all had a wonderful time.”

Karen Letten, Woodland Trust’s Schools and Communities Engagement Manager, has encouraged Hazelhurst Community to now go for an even higher accolade - the platinum award.

She said: “The scheme promotes a range of opportunities, each designed to stimulate a child’s imagination and sustain their interest in woods and trees.

“The achievements of the school are recognised through an awards scheme in which they receive points for taking part in activities.

“As they reach milestones within the project they will receive bronze and silver certificates and then an attractive wooden plaque which acknowledges they’ve achieved the environmental accolade of a gold award.

“I hope Hazlehurst Primary School will now consider going for our next accolade, the prestigious platinum award.”

The Green Tree Schools Award is free for schools to take part in, and the Woodland Trust is also offering free packs of trees to schools.

Find out how your school can get involved at woodlandtrust.org.uk/schools