A recycling firm hopes the Green School Awards will help inspire children to become the future custodians of the planet’s environment.

Matthew Farrow, operations manager at awards key partner East Kent Recycling, said: “Children are going to be looking after the world when we have gone, and we need to start getting them thinking about recycling straight away.”

The Green School Awards are open to primary and secondary schools across the South-East. They celebrate best practice in six categories: green travel and road safety; energy conservation; nature conservation; health and well-being; recycling; and – for the first time this year – air pollution.

Schools have until December 7 to submit entries.

Mr Farrow added that his company, which has sites in Oare and Aylesham, was always looking for opportunities to work with the community.

He said it sponsored boxing clubs in Faversham and Dover, donated money and services to Faversham’s Abbey School, and was currently working with businesses and the wider community to provide support for homeless people over the winter.

Simon Dolby, chief executive of Green School Awards organiser the KM Charity Team, said: “East Kent Recycling is a company that takes it responsibilities to the community very seriously indeed.

“So it’s wonderful to have them involved with the awards, which are a perfect match for their business.”

In addition to East Kent Recycling, the awards judges are Golding Vision, ADM Computing, Ashford International Hotel, EduKit, NCS Technology, Loop CR, Kidzania and Kent and Medway councils.

Find out more about East Kent Recycling at www.eastkentrecycling.co.uk.

Learn more about the awards or nominate your school at www.greenschoolawards.co.uk.

And watch a video in which Mr Farrow talks about East Kent Recycling’s support for them here: