Sunflowers Shine Bright: Schools Promote Sustainability with ICL’s Community Project

The winter months can be gloomy, but two schools in East Cleveland have brought some summer sunshine by participating in ICL’s Sustainable Sunflower competition.

Pupils from Hummersea School in Loftus and St Peter’s School in Brotton took part in a community engagement project led by Boulby Mine, the aim was to promote sustainability from the ground up.

Some of the contents in the Sustainable Sunflower pack.

The schools were given sunflower seeds, biodegradable pots and bags of the company’s very own branded peat-free compost, these materials were to be used alongside Polysulphate, the world’s first and only low-carbon, organically certified fertiliser, the company hoped to teach students about the importance of using organic, sustainable fertilisers and reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture.

Not only do sunflowers look impressive, but they also contribute to biodiversity by feeding birds and bees.

St Peter’s Gardening Club produced the tallest sunflower, measuring in at an impressive 2.17 meters! Both schools went head to head in the competition, and both did a stellar job. As a result, they will each receive £1,600 to go towards an extra-curricular activity.

St’s Peter’s Gardening Club with their giant sunflower.

This project encouraged the development of sustainable practices in schools, emphasising the importance of cultivating plants, protecting biodiversity, and engaging with the community.
Congratulations to all the participants for their hard work and dedication to promoting sustainability. The future looks bright with these young minds leading the way.