ABOUT THE CATEGORY: Recognises young people or a group of young people who have created a positive environmental impact or who are raising awareness of environmental issues in schools and communities. This could be by showing exceptional dedication to protecting and improving the environment. They may demonstrate a passion for sustainability, conservation, or environmental issues, using their voice and actions to address pressing environmental challenges. This could be through innovative projects, community initiatives, awareness campaigns, or personal efforts to live more sustainably, they inspire others to take action for the planet. This award celebrates their commitment to creating a greener, healthier future and the importance of being a role model for environmental issues.
Find out more about our 2026 winners below.
Winner: Zac Leonard
Zac is a dedicated and enthusiastic young environmental ambassador who has made a meaningful difference to his school community. Over the past two years, he has played a key role in driving environmental action, showing leadership, creativity and a genuine passion for looking after the planet.
As an active member of the school's eco group, Zac has helped care for and develop the school garden, contributing to planting, maintenance and encouraging biodiversity. His work supported the creation of a memorial rose garden - a peaceful space for reflection. Zac's kindness and teamwork have helped bring students together, strengthening the community through shared environmental action.
Zac has also supported fundraising - from helping run bake sales to assisting with charity raffles and sustainability themed craft stalls, he has shown how environmental awareness and charitable giving can work hand in hand. He is especially committed to educating younger pupils, taking time to teach them about gardening, pollinators and the importance of small, everyday eco friendly choices. Zac also helps reduce waste across school by supporting recycling efforts and promoting sustainable habits. He leads with positivity, patience and a genuine desire to make things better.
Highly commended: Emili Kristopaitis
Emili deserves recognition for their exceptional commitment to improving and protecting their school environment. For more than a year, Emili has spent every lunchtime voluntarily collecting litter across the school. Emili has never been asked or directed to do this - she chooses to because she genuinely care about the wellbeing of the school community and the planet.
While many young people help when prompted, Emili takes full responsibility for litter picking, covering playgrounds, fields and pathways. The daily efforts have created a cleaner, safer and more welcoming environment for everyone. Emili's impact reaches far beyond the physical improvements, and she is a quiet leader, encouraging classmates to use bins, reduce waste and respect shared spaces. Their positive approach has influenced younger pupils, some of whom now help at lunchtime or have become more responsible with their own litter because of Emili's example. Despite occasional discouraging comments and challenges Emili has remained determined and resilient, showing maturity, kindness and a genuine desire to make a difference.
This award is sponsored by Sunderland City Council's Sustainability Team
In 2019 Sunderland declared a Climate Emergency. Sunderland City Council's Sustainability Team has since been working with organisations across the city to reduce carbon emissions and support Sunderland to adapt to the changing climate, in line with Sunderland's ambitions to be Carbon Neutral by 2040.
Children and young people across the city are already working hard, in and out of school, to deliver green projects, playing a key role in climate education and climate action within our communities - including sharing information and advice to support everyone to be more sustainable, encouraging greener transport options, running energy and water saving initiatives, tackling waste, growing fruit and vegetables and planting trees. We all need to support each other and work together to make sure Sunderland can tackle the challenges of climate change in our communities, ensuring Sunderland continues to be a wonderful place to live, play, study, and work.
