Newcastle Eco-School Shimna Integrated College has been awarded a grant of almost £3,000 towards an initiative that will help them install toilets at an 'environmental awareness' cottage within the school.

The UK wide grant scheme, backed by Currys, attracted applications from nurseries, primary schools, post-primary schools and colleges concentrating on the themes of energy or water. From the applications received in the first panel of this school year, twelve were successful, including the application from Northern Ireland. They shared a total of nearly £25,000.

Shimma Integrated College provided the panel with a very interesting application. One of their school resources includes a mountain cottage used for environmental awareness days and fieldwork within different areas of the curriculum. The cottage however did not have any toilet facilities and the school was keen for the building to demonstrate sustainability, especially as the town's sewerage system was at capacity. They were granted £2,800 to purchase Thunderbox mobile compost toilets for the building. The toilets, which are made from sustainable materials, produce compost not waste and will allow the cottage to demonstrate sustainable technology whilst saving water.

Eco-Schools in NI has signed up to be a Northern Ireland Delivery Partner in the BBC Breathing Places Schools initiative.

The BBC is famous for its wildlife broadcasting and over the next two years, they want to get 10,000 schools closer to nature by providing help with making school grounds into special places for wildlife with the BBC Breathing Places Schools campaign.

Eco-Schools in Northern Ireland is working with Breathing Places Schools to make sure that it does the most it can to help schools with their eco work. If your school hasn't already done so, the Breathing Places campaign will provide you with a great opportunity to get started on the Eco-Schools Biodiversity topic. Participation can also be linked to the School Grounds and Healthy Living topics.

BBC Breathing Places Schools will:

• Bring together a partnership of the organisations that can help you
• Provide 'one-stop' help on the BBC website
• Encourage pupils to become involved - watch and listen out for Breathing Places on BBC TV and Radio
• Provide new ideas and new initiatives every term for two years.

How do we get involved?

Go to the BBC Breathing Places website and register as a Breathing Places School. This will give you access to the full website, the campaign documents and a free activity pack to get you started.

You can register at any time, even if you miss the first "Do One Thing" activity.

What happens next?

You will be offered six "Do One Thing" or ('DOTs!) activities over the next two years. The first two are Sowing Seeds (available now), and Minibeasts (for summer 2008). The other DOTs will go online each term until the end of 2009. Future DOT ideas include:

Winter 2008 - Feeding wildlife
Spring 2009 - Homes for wildlife
Summer 2009 - Wet places
Winter 2009 - Trees

New Road Map for Eco-Schools

TIDY NI is delighted to announce that we have produced some extra help for registered Eco-Schools. The new Road Map is available to download from the website and should help schools progress through their Eco-Schools awards.

It contains step-by-step guidance on how to implement the programme at Bronze, Silver and Green Flag level. There are links to webpages and examples and templates for an Eco-Committee agenda, Environmental Review and Action Plan.

There are also contact details for our Delivery Partners who can support you with your eco-activities.

To download the Eco-Schools Road Map, click here .