NatWest has launched a new initiative to help engage primary schoolchildren and schools across the UK in the climate change debate.

Across the country and through its NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank brands, the bank is offering schools up to £15,000 to support their own climate change project and have their work shown to world leaders at the COP26 climate change conference in November.

The bank is partnering with Top Trumps, one of Britain’s best-known childhood games, to create the competition, MoneySense Climate Savers Top Trumps.

Running until September 30, the competition is asking primary school pupils to design Top Trumps cards that show actions that have a positive impact on the planet and perhaps save money, for example, switching to a reusable water bottle or using second-hand books.

The competition aims to motivate young people to play their part in tackling climate change and help give an international issue local relevance.

Of the schools taking part, 26 winning ideas will feature in an exclusive deck of cards, with the winning pupils having the opportunity to share their ideas in a film to be shown at COP26  in Glasgow this November. The bank is principal partner of the climate summit.

In addition, teachers who enter their pupils into the Climate Savers competition have an opportunity to win up to £15,000 for their school, for an environmentally sustainable project as well as a host of other sustainable prizes.

TV presenter Ade Adepitan is fronting the campaign, encouraging teachers to get involved through various digital activities, including hosting a MoneySense Climate Savers virtual assembly for the bank – to be launched in primary schools ahead of COP26.

The campaign builds on the bank’s MoneySense programme, which, for more than two decades, has been teaching financial skills to young people. It follows the 2020 launch of the bank’s Island Saver game – a video game built for games consoles and mobiles themed around building money skills.

NatWest Group Chief Financial Officer Katie Murray, said:

“The importance of understanding money from a young age is something that NatWest has always prioritised.

“Our MoneySense programme has equipped generations of children across the country with the skills to be financially fit for the future.

“With COP26 a matter of months away and the bank as principal partner, we wanted to help the current generation of schoolchildren understand that saving money and saving the planet has a crossover – but do it in a fun way.

“We hope that Climate Savers Top Trumps will help do that and also make children from every corner of the UK feel engaged and interested in COP26, and provide them with the knowledge and motivation to make positive changes today which will help improve the world for everyone in the future.”

Alok Sharma MP, President of COP26, said:

“I am pleased to see our COP26 principal partner, Natwest, launching this competition to engage young people in the UK in the important fight against climate change. Everyone can play their part by going one step greener and I would encourage schoolchildren from across the UK to get involved and help make a difference.”

To get involved in MoneySense Climate Savers Top Trumps, children, parents or guardians must go through their child’s school.

For more information visit:

https://natwest.mymoneysense.com/climate-savers/

https://rbs.mymoneysense.com/climate-savers/

https://ulsterbankni.mymoneysense.com/climate-savers/