Living green wall installed at St. Mary’s Infant School as part of clean air initiative

October 25, 2024

Southend-on-Sea City Council is thrilled to announce the installation of a living green wall at St. Mary’s Infant School in Prittlewell.

The project, funded by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), is a significant step in the council’s commitment to improving air quality across Southend-on-Sea and promoting healthier environments for our children and residents.

The living green wall, now a vibrant feature at St. Mary’s, acts as a natural air filter, effectively trapping airborne pollutants and particles. This innovative installation provides cleaner and healthier air for students, teachers, and visitors, and also serves as a barrier, reducing pollutant concentrations between the road and the school’s playgrounds and buildings.

Last year, the council began collaborating with 11 schools on a two-year Clean Air Schools Project. The first year focused on installing air quality monitoring equipment to gather data on local pollution levels and identify effective interventions, where participating schools had air quality monitoring equipment installed to collect valuable data. The equipment will be reinstalled in the coming months, alongside new mitigation measures such as air purifiers and anti-idling signage.

The anti-idling campaign will also be visible across the City. More information about this is available to encourage residents to consider the impact their car journeys and driving behaviours have on the environment: Anti-idling – Air quality – Southend-on-Sea City Council.

Councillor Lydia Hyde, cabinet member for climate, environment and waste, said: “Air pollution is a significant health hazard to children, especially those that suffer from report conditions such as asthma. That’s why this administration is taking a range of actions to ensure the children of this city breathe fresher air. This new living green wall at St. Mary’s School will naturally shield pupils from pollution, whilst producing fresh oxygen instead. The projects also offers a perfect opportunity to engage the children to think about the environment and the impacts on our bodies, and inspire them to invite their own ideas.”

Councillor Maxine Sadza, cabinet member for social care and healthier communities, added: “By implementing green infrastructure and promoting clean air projects, we are taking significant steps to combat air pollution and really improving air quality. It’s crucial that we keep finding and supporting ideas and solutions to ensure a cleaner, greener future for everyone in the City.”