EdStart Students Roll Up Their Sleeves to Tidy Up Oldham
Teenagers Tackle the Town’s Litter to Support Their Duke of Edinburgh Award Ambitions
A group of enthusiastic students from EdStart School Oldham have taken to the streets to tackle litter in Oldham town centre as part of their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Bronze Award.
The Year 10 and 11 students, who attend EdStart School Oldham—a school for pupils with special educational needs—recently completed their first litter-picking session. Equipped with gloves, litter grabbers, and bin bags, they scoured the streets, collecting everything from discarded coffee cups to plastic wrappers. Their efforts will fulfil the volunteering element of their DofE award.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a youth programme that helps young people develop skills, confidence, and resilience through activities, volunteering, and expedition.
Positive Community Impact
The students’ first session was a clear success, with several bags of rubbish collected. Their work has already drawn praise from passersby and local businesses, who thanked the students for their efforts to improve the community.
Building Skills Through Volunteering
Sam Mellor, English teacher and DofE lead at EdStart Schools, said:
“It’s fantastic to see the students getting stuck into their volunteering project. This first session was a great start, and they showed real enthusiasm and teamwork.
This is just the beginning of the students’ volunteering journey, and we’re already impressed by their positive attitude. Volunteering is such a valuable part of the DofE programme, and this project is a great way for them to connect with their community while building important life skills. We’re excited to see how much they’ll achieve over the next few months.”
One Step Closer to the DofE Bronze Award
This litter-picking initiative is just one aspect of the students’ DofE Bronze Award, alongside skills training, physical challenges, and an expedition. With their volunteering project now underway, the students are well on their way to achieving this valued and well-respected award.
