npower launches its Climate Cops Green Fingers competition, as research reveals a quarter of kids spend less than 3 hours a week outside

Denise Van Outen has launched the npower Climate Cops Green Fingers campaign to help primary school children develop ‘greener fingers’ by giving kids in urban schools access to growing spaces.

As it launches Climate Cops Green Fingers, npower finds that almost three quarters (72%) of today’s children want to spend more time enjoying themselves outdoors.

The average amount of time spent in the garden by our youngsters is just 4 hrs a week. In contrast, their parents spent an average of 12hrs outdoors. Unsurprisingly, nine out of ten parents think they have a better appreciation of nature and the environment than their child as a result.

To reverse this trend and help kids understand the science of growing, npower Climate Cops is offering ten urban schools the opportunity to win a growing makeover worth £5,000. The ten winning schools will have an area developed by environmental regeneration charity Groundwork into a ‘greener learning space.’ This could be anything from a window box to a roof allotment, working with even the smallest urban spaces to create something for kids to nurture, grow and learn from.

Garden enthusiast and mum-to-be Denise Van Outen comments:

“With a baby on the way I’m very aware of how important it is that the younger generation understand how important it is to protect the environment. Getting outdoors and seeing how plants grow is the first step kids can make in learning about nature and how valuable it is. We know kids love being outdoors, but they don’t always get the chance – my own niece and nephews can’t recognise vegetables picked straight from my vegetable garden! That’s why I’m supporting npower’s Climate Cops Green Fingers campaign to help under-7s learn about gardening and growing in the way they learn best – hands on and hands dirty!”

npower Climate Cops Green Fingers hopes to transform areas of grey built-up school environments into spaces that allow the children’s eco- imaginations to bloom. As part of npower’s Climate Cops environmental education programme, this living outdoor classroom aims to help pupils learn about energy through the science of gardening in a fun way.

For more information, visit www.npower.com/climatecops.