At the start of the year, our Year 5 children were fortunate enough to be selected to take part in a sustainability project in conjunction with Aspex Gallery and Portsmouth International Port (who intend to be Net Carbon Neutral by 2030 and, hopefully, the UK's first zero-emission port by 2050). 

The project started with a number of visitors coming to give talks about some of the initiatives the city is taking to tackle climate change; this was followed by the children going on a bus tour of Portsmouth International Port.

Back at school, each class had a discussion about sustainability and discussed the main causes, the problems that we are facing, and, ultimately, what we can do to try and save our planet for future generations. Finally, the children had an artist workshop with Peter Driver where they each had the opportunity to print their own design in relation to this issue. The children were given the challenge of using a billboard as a way of getting their voices heard as they had lots of great ideas and resolutions that they wanted to share with the wider community.

A collaborative design featuring all of their artwork has now been installed on a billboard outside the Port (on Mile End Road) where it will remain until the end of the month. On the morning of 8th March, the majority of Year 5 were able to attend the official reveal and see their work on display which they thoroughly enjoyed.

We would like to thank the Portsmouth International Port, Aspex Gallery, and Peter Driver for giving us this fantastic opportunity along with thanking the children as without their creative ideas and hard work this project would not have been possible - we are very proud of them. 

For a video with interviews and a behind-the-scenes view on how it all came to be, visit: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w0t0TPuJwU

For more information about the project, visit https://portsmouth-port.co.uk/news/new-artwork-shows-that-together-we-can-combat-climate-change/