Super ideas win climate change challenge competition

Standing out for their creative ideas, two local children are announced as winners of Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility’s competition to design a superhero to tackle climate change. 

Arthur Matthews and his winning design

The competition launched by Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility was designed to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) subjects. The competition prompted young people to think about how they can positively impact the environment and have fun with designing tools, gadgets and superpowers to help a superhero tackle the reality of a climate emergency.

Arthur Matthews, age 6 from The Rissington School and Ava Jones age 9 from Berkely Primary School blew the judges away with their imaginative superhero design concepts.

Arthur was named winner of the 4-6 year old category producing a design of a superhero that can shoot oak trees out of his hands. His cape features solar panels, so his talents are powered by the sun.

Ava Jones and her winning design

Ava was named the winner in the 7-11 age category. Ava had put a lot of thought into reuse and recycling with the superheroes costume itself made out of recycled materials with a gadget for identifying things that can be reused along with a hamster sidekick that collects little bits of rubbish.  

Both winners and their schools win £50 and the designs will soon be on display in the reception of the Visitor centre at the Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility.

Melanie de la Torre Zamora, Community Relationship Manager, said: “We’ve received some fantastic ideas and designs for this competition, and it’s been wonderful to see so many local children engaged with the idea of tackling climate change. Picking winners was tricky but we’re pleased that Arthur and Ava are delighted with their success.”