‘Smart Moves Smart Planet’ event

Students from St Clare’s National School, Cavan No. 1 National School, and Farnham National School took part in a fun and educational event, Smart Moves Smart Planet, held in Con Smith Park on Wednesday, May 20.

The event is a new initiative led by Cavan County Council, bringing together several departments including Active Travel, Climate Action, Environmental Services, Biodiversity, and Sports Partnership. The day was further supported by Cavan Tidy Towns and the Road Safety Authority.

The programme provided students with an engaging opportunity to learn about important environmental topics. Activities focused on waste management, highlighting the importance of keeping their town clean and exploring how long different materials take to decompose. The Seatbelt Sheriff was also in attendance, encouraging road safety awareness, with all students proudly taking the Seatbelt Pledge.

As part of the event, children took part in Active Travel Bingo and explored the Con Smith Park, discovering features such as the bug hotel and learning about local flora and fauna.

The children participated in an engaging session on waste management and segregation. They learned how to correctly sort waste into glass, food, recycling, and general waste categories. They then put this knowledge into practice by using litter pickers to collect waste and place it in the appropriate bins. The activity also included a fun and interactive litter game, where the children identified the correct bins for different types of waste. This helped reinforce their understanding in an enjoyable way.

Members of the local Tidy Towns committee were also present and spoke to the children about the importance of keeping our county clean, tidy, and free from litter. Their input highlighted the positive impact that everyone can have in caring for their local environment. Cavan Sports Partnership was in attendance to highlight the importance of learning through physical activity. Its mission is to provide opportunities for every person in Cavan to be more active, more often and its staff were delighted to plan some games for the children. Working with children from a young age is so important as it educates them about the benefits of exercise and encourages them to take part in activities and continue engaging in sport and exercise through their teenage years and on into adulthood.

Speaking following the event, outgoing Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr John Paul Feeley said: “It is wonderful seeing the children in the park today. This event brings fun into education, allowing children to learn about the environment from a variety of perspectives. Thank you to the teachers who brought the children here today, it is clear that Cavan has a bright future ahead. I imagine they will all sleep well tonight.”

Staff from Cavan County Council expressed their delight at the success of the event, noting that the enthusiasm and laughter from the children made all the hard work worthwhile.