The fast fashion lesson St Ives pupils got from South West Water

Turn on a tap and the water is simply there. For thousands of children across the South West, that everyday moment now comes with a lot more thought behind it.

South West Water runs an education programme that sends its Education Officer, Sophie Moore, into classrooms across the region. Her interactive sessions help pupils understand why water matters, where it comes from, and the journey it takes from source to tap.

78 schools and nearly 5,000 children

This year so far, Sophie has visited 78 schools across the region and reached nearly 5,000 children.

Her sessions look at where water comes from, the challenges involved in storing and treating it, and the small steps children can take at school and at home to save water and protect the environment.

What the lessons cover

Each class is split into five key topics and shaped around the needs of the pupils in the room:

• Water efficiency
• Drinking water
• Wastewater
• The environment
• Wellbeing

Running through all of them is one message. Water is a precious resource, and everyone has a part to play in protecting it.

Sophie said: “Teaching children about the importance of our most precious resource is important now more than ever.

“It’s so rewarding to see how the children engage in the activities and I look forward to attending each school to teach the lessons. The lessons range from discussing water quality, how water flows to the taps, and why water efficiency is so important. Knowing that I might be inspiring the next generation means so much to me.”

A glowing review from St Ives Junior School

One of Sophie’s workshops at St Ives Junior School tackled fast fashion, and it clearly landed with the Year 6 class.

A teacher at the school said: “The workshop on fast fashion was of an extremely high standard. It was pitched really well for our year 6s who really enjoyed it. I could not recommend this workshop more highly and I sincerely hope we see Sophie again for another workshop in the future.”

How schools can book a session

Schools that want Sophie to visit can find out more about the programme and book a session through South West Water’s education page.