Prenton nursery receives gold award for its green and eco-thinking

Butterflies Private Day Nursery received the accolade after taking part in green activities such as tree planting, visiting local woodlands, reducing carbon emissions and recycling.

Set up in 2008, the Green Tree Schools initiative allows educational centres to receive awards by participating in 'green' activities.

To receive their award, Butterflies has planted new fruits and vegetables in their grounds, visited local woods and joined in various other Woodland Trust activities.

Nursery manager Lynette Bonner told the Globe: "At Butterflies we’ve always appreciated the fun and learning opportunities provided to our children when they can explore and engage with nature.

"It's one of the reasons we have our very own little explorer's nature discovery room.

"This scheme has been a fabulous experience for all our children and staff and we’re absolutely delighted to have achieved our Gold award."

The charity hopes that by creating a new, protecting and restoring woodlands with help from communities and schools will help save them for generations to come.

Karen Letten, Woodland Trust schools and communities engagement manager, said: “The scheme promotes a range of opportunities, each designed to stimulate a child’s imagination and sustain their interest in woods and trees.

"The achievements of the nursery are recognised through an awards scheme in which they receive points for taking part in activities.

"As they reach milestones within the project they will receive bronze and silver certificates and then an attractive wooden plaque which acknowledges they’ve achieved the environmental accolade of a gold award.

"I hope Butterflies Private Day Nursery will now consider going for our next accolade, the prestigious platinum award.”

The Green Tree Schools Award is free for schools to take part in, and the Woodland Trust is offering free packs of trees to schools, to get involved visit