Take Part: Earth Day action for kids

Today is Earth Day and there are two great opportunities for kids in Blackpool to shout about why we need to protect our planet.

As part of the National Literacy Trust’s Get Blackpool Reading campaign it is calling on school children to write a poem for Earth Day and Sea Life Blackpool is searching for its first ever Rockpool Ranger to champion sea creatures’ protection.

Write a poem for Earth Day

The Literacy Trust is asking kids to create their own haiku, limerick, sonnet, shape or freestyle poem to be in with a chance of winning a big book bundle for themselves and another for their class.

The charity wants children to think about the environmental issues they face in Blackpool. It could be air pollution from the road outside their front door, the amount of plastic getting washed up on the beach, or the need more green spaces in Blackpool to help nature thrive.

“Poetry can be a helpful tool to explore and express emotions about a particular subject in an unconventional way, and we want this competition to inspire and empower the next generation to use their voices for a cause they believe in,” the trust said.

For more information on Get Blackpool Reading’s Earth Day poetry competition, including guidance on poetry styles, click here. The competition closes on 24th April and entries should be submitted via email to [email protected] with the name, age, and school of the author, plus a contact phone number or email address for a parent or guardian.

Become a Rockpool Ranger

Sea Life Blackpool is searching for its first ever young Rockpool Ranger and anyone who thinks they have what it takes is asked to submit a short video of themselves talking about why they are perfect for the role, and why protecting endangered marine life is important to them.

The winner will be the first voiceover and hands-on young expert at Sea Life which is hoping to find a budding marine enthusiast who’s keen to champion sea creatures’ protection and raise awareness of endangered species.

The lucky winner will become the aquarium’s official voice for its Rockpool area, which is home to more than 2,500 different species that are found on our coasts in small pools of water when the tide goes out, including starfish and urchins.

As part of their role, the new Rockpool Ranger will help teach visitors of all ages learn about how the aquarium supports the local environment and what vital work is being done to protect and rescue rare creatures.

Scott Blacker, head aquarist at Sea Life Blackpool, said: “Protecting ocean wildlife is the most important thing to us at Sea Life Blackpool, and we hope that children with a passion for sea creatures and their conservation will apply to be our first ever Rockpool Ranger and help us raise awareness and spread the message.”

The competition is open to school age children who are invited to submit a short video via social media with the hashtag #RockPoolRanger and tag @SEALIFEBlackpool to enter, or email it to: [email protected]. The competition closes on 25th April.