The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority is encouraging local primary schools to take advantage of a travel bursary that will help them access a new education day themed around marine plastic and its impact on the environment.

The new Plastic in the Sea session involves a workshop to introduce the issue, a trip to view the Coast exhibition at Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre in St Davids and a practical session to investigate the plastic problem on a nearby beach.

National Park Authority Education Ranger, Tom Bean said:

“This new session for schools responds to the enthusiasm to learn more about marine litter and turn the tide on the issue.

“The Coast exhibition at Oriel y Parc, which includes artwork and natural specimens from the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales, explores how plastic has impacted on everyday life and details a project on plastic pollution by the museum’s Youth Forum Group.

“The session is suitable both as an introduction to marine plastic as well as a consolidation of classroom learning.”

A Key Stage Two teacher who accompanied her trip said:

“The children particularly enjoyed the exhibition, which gave them a unique opportunity to see how plastic has affected the wildlife around our coast.

“The Rangers were incredibly informative and inspirational while sharing their own experiences with the children. The exhibition generated many questions from the pupils which we have looked into further back at school.”

The cost per pupil for the one-day session is £4.50. A £100 travel bursary is available per school group towards the cost of transport thanks to a partnership between the UK’s National Parks and Forest Holidays.

Nationally, the Forest Holiday partnership will see up to 6,000 young people experience and explore the best of the UK countryside, in order to improve their well-being and to ensure that National Parks are valued, understood and cared for into the future.