Families on the Isle of Wight are being invited to take part in a series of free sustainability-themed activities this summer as Utilita launches its Summer Sustainability Club at its Newport Energy Hub.
Running throughout the school holidays, the programme aims to inspire children to learn more about sustainability through a range of hands-on workshops that combine creativity, education and play.
The initiative builds on Utilita’s award-winning High 5 campaign, which encourages households to adopt simple everyday habits to save energy, reduce waste and lower household bills.
A different themed activity will take place each week at the Energy Hub on Newport High Street.
On 1st August, children will be encouraged to transform everyday waste into imaginative robot creations while learning how discarded materials can be reused.
The following week, on 8th August, youngsters can create their own ‘potato hedgehog’ to take home, alongside receiving practical tips on reducing food waste through a food waste tracker and Shop Smart, Cook Savvy advice.
Saturday (15th August) will see children explore the science of sound by making their own percussion instruments, DIY phone speakers and string telephones using everyday materials.
The focus then turns to saving energy at home on 22nd August, when children will become ‘Energy Detectives’, learning how to identify wasted electricity before taking home handmade paper windmills and energy-saving reminder signs.
The final session, on 29th August, will celebrate nature, wildlife and biodiversity, with families learning how to make bird and squirrel feeders and hearing from the Isle of Wight’s red squirrel experts.
Dan Green, Hub Supervisor, has said:
“We love to support our communities and regularly run child-friendly activities across the school holidays. We strongly believe that children should have access to experiences that spark their imagination and we’re pleased to be helping local families by providing free refreshments during the sessions.
“Through our Summer Sustainability Club, we’re sharing what we’ve learned from our eco programme in a fun, interactive way to ignite children’s interest in sustainability and maybe even inspire them to consider green jobs of the future.”
Donna Hall, Partnerships Manager at Utilita, has said:
“A key part of the programme is the support and expertise provided by Utilita’s Energy Hub Eco Experts, who are on hand to guide families through each activity, offer practical advice and share simple ways to reduce energy use at home.
“These specialists play a vital role in helping communities build sustainable habits, ensuring that lessons learned during the workshops can be carried into everyday life.”
The Summer Sustainability Club is free to attend and open to children of all ages, with complimentary refreshments available during each session.
For more information about Utilita’s energy-saving advice and its High 5 campaign, visit the Newport Energy Hub on the High Street.
