IKEA UK recently launched a competition offering school children in Manchester and Warrington the chance to win £2,000 for projects that will help reduce their school’s carbon footprint.

The retailer is working in partnership with the Let’s Go Zero campaign, coordinated by climate solutions charity, Ashden, which calls on all UK schools to go carbon zero by 2030.

The competition encourages teachers, kindergarten children, primary and secondary school students from Manchester and Warrington to register and submit ideas that will make their school more sustainable, either by reducing emissions or increasing biodiversity, as part of a broader campaign. to unite communities and do your part. to fight climate change.

Four schools across the UK will receive help from IKEA staff to bring their ideas to life, with the winners announced in April. The retailer will provide products (up to the value of £2,000 for each project), solutions and expertise in sustainable living.

It is the second year that IKEA has organized the competition in partnership with Let’s Go Zero, with secondary schools and colleges in Lewisham, Sheffield, Glasgow and Cardiff selected to receive help with their projects last summer.

Local IKEA staff worked with each of the schools to implement their ideas, which included an old storage closet transformed into a uniform exchange store, vegetable growing and beekeeping areas, and a sustainability resource learning center. for the students.

More than 1,980 schools, colleges and nurseries have signed up to Let’s Go Zero since the initiative launched in November 2020, with a total of 931,740 students and 147,854 employees across the UK.

Marsha Smith, Assistant Country Retail Manager at IKEA UK & Ireland, says: “We want to create a positive impact through sustainability and inspire people to do their part to care for our shared home: the planet. Schools can play a huge role in educating future generations and empowering all young people to take climate action. That’s why we’re delighted to be working with Ashden for a second year, in support of the Let’s Go Zero campaign.

“Last year’s competition was a huge success, and in 2023 we’d love to see even more Manchester and Warrington schools get involved to do their part for the planet. From growing vegetables to composting to designing green classroom areas, the sky is the limit. We can’t wait to see the entries and work with four winners to bring their ideas to life.”

Alex Green, Director of Schools at Let’s Go Zero says: “We are delighted to be working with IKEA again on the Let’s Go Zero campaign and this exciting competition. Schools are at the heart of our communities and we know that by supporting projects within schools we can inspire our youth, their families and communities to be true climate champions.”

According to Let’s Go Zero, schools will play a key role in helping the UK reduce carbon emission levels, with the power to prevent 625,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

Visit here for more information on how to enter the IKEA Let’s Go Zero contest. Also head over to the Let’s Go Zero website to sign up and support the campaign at https://letsgozero.org/.

Competition entries will be judged by a panel from IKEA and Ashden, who will select four winning designs to be created, with winners announced in April. Registration is now open and will close at midnight on the 20th.^he March.