Gideon from Middleton Primary School in Beeston is amongst 12 candidates for the position of Leeds Children’s Mayor.
Earlier this year children in Year 5 were encouraged to write a manifesto setting out a project that they would implement if elected by the young people of the city. Gideon wants to create a recycling competition called ‘Operation Save Green’ where recycling is used to create something new and help the environment. Here is his manifesto:
My goal as Leeds Children’s Mayor would be to help reduce waste that harms the environment. I hope to make our city more environmentally friendly by keeping the streets clean, bringing more awareness to young children (like myself) and to make recycling more exciting.
To achieve this goal, I would host a competition around recycling called ‘Operation Save Green’. This competition would encourage children to think creatively; schools across Leeds would participate by making something new out of recycled materials. Each school would be able to put forward one entry, the finalists would take part in a recycling display at Leeds Hall.
Why not create a new outfit? Using old clothes and materials around the house, you could design a piece of clothing and take part in a school fashion show. If designing is not for you, that’s alright, you could collect recyclable materials from the streets of Leeds and make an art piece or model.
The products would be displayed in a showcase. The winner would receive a trophy and each entrant would get a certificate for taking part. Once the competition is completed, I would recycle all of the products gathered by the children of Leeds.
‘Operation Save Green’ would not only benefit my school, but other schools in Leeds as well. This project has many positive outcomes including: cleaning the streets of Leeds, encouraging people to go outside on walks to keep fit, to raise awareness about how to recycle and to promote the importance of stopping fast fashion. My goal is to help our schools to develop their processes for recycling and to make it fun. I would hold meetings with eco warriors from different schools to cut down on the waste we are creating.
The environment is one of the most important issues we are facing today and I urge children to start looking after our planet to create a better future for our generation. I hope you consider me for the position of Leeds Children’s Mayor, I guarantee that I will not disappoint you.
Voting is now open for children and young people up to 18 years old. Click here to read all 12 manifestos and cast your two votes. Voting closes at 5pm on Monday 26 September 2022, with the new Children’s Mayor announced on 6 October.
