Volvo Eco Adventure

It is said that true environmentalism involves individuals making a difference at local level. And whether it's recycling bicycles for disadvantaged families or creating a wildlife walk through nearby countryside, these values lie at the heart of the Volvo Eco Adventure - an award scheme for young environmentalists whose 2005/2006 winners have just been announced.

The Volvo Eco Adventure comprises ten annual awards of £500 to help fund environmental projects run by young people through schools, youth groups, wildlife watch or community groups.

This year's overall winner is the Recycle Cycles Youth Group from Sheffield. The Group reclaims dumped bicycles from two estates and creates complete cycles from the salvageable parts. During the past three years, more than 60 bicycles have been created, through the involvement of more than 30 volunteers. As well as reducing dumped waste, the project creatively involves alienated young people in a tactile project and aims to locally reduce the illegal use of motorcycles and cars.

The overall winner is also entered into the International Volvo Adventure - comprising a trip for five young people and two adults to Volvo's HQ in Gothenburg to attend the Volvo Adventure Conference, where an international prize of up to US$10,000 to fund environmental projects will be awarded.

The Volvo Eco Adventure's UK runner up is Lonforgan Primary School in Perth, for its Circular Path project. Although Lonforgan is rural, the school found that there were few safe places for children and parents to safely walk in the area and learn about the environment. The school have worked with local land-owners, the council and even HM Prison Service to open nearby land up to the public and create a walk. The first phase of the Lonforgan Circular Path should be open to the public by June.

Other Volvo Eco Award winners are: Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary School in Ulster's 'Beautiful Bluebells' project; Milton Abbey School, of Monmouth, Dorset, for 'Improving the Biodiversity of Monmouth Hill'; Queen Elizabeth II High School of the Isle of Man's 'Habitat Management Skills'; The Chosen Ones' 'Nature Reserve Project' at Clydach, south Wales; Eltbourne Park High School's 'Butterfly Improvement in Ealing'; St. Malachy Primary School of Belfast's 'Wildlife Garden'; Canford School, near Poole in Dorset's 'Waste and Recycling' project and the Falkirk High School's 'Trash Fashion Show'.