Awards

Congratulations to all 2024 Green Flag Award Winners!

You should have received an invitation to the 30^th Anniversary Eco-Schools Awards Ceremony, but if you have not and believe this was an error, please check the junk folder in your email before contacting your local field officer.

Location: Stranmillis University College, Belfast

Dates: 19^th or 20^th June (divided by council areas, see below)

Time: 9:45am – 3:30pm

19^th June – Antrim & Newtownabbey; Belfast City; Fermanagh & Omagh; Mid Ulster; and Newry, Mourne and Down Councils

20^th June – Ards & North Down; Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon; Causeway Coast & Glens; Derry City & Strabane; Lisburn & Castlereagh City; and Mid & East Antrim Councils

FAQs

We will continue to update this webpage with more information.

Safeguarding

Unfortunately, due to limited capacity at the venue, we are only able to offer two tickets to each school this year. We understand that the number of tickets may cause a challenge for some schools, but we hope that our offer of transportation to and from the event will help to alleviate safeguarding concerns. You would be among a large group of teachers and students while traveling to and from the event, as well as during the event itself.

Additionally, we ask that parents/guardians take students to and from the local transportation points.

Travel

We are still in the process of confirming local transportation points with Translink. If you are interested in availing the transportation option, please indicate your interest on the RSVP form and you will be contacted with details when they become available.

If you decide you would like to use the transportation provided after you have submitted the RSVP form, please contact events@keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org.

You can continue to check this webpage for updated information.

UPDATE: See details about transportation below!

Can my school send two teachers to attend the ceremony, rather than one teacher and one student?

Yes! Please RSVP for two tickets and contact events@keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org to let them know you will need two adult meals, indicating your school name and council area.

Can we get additional tickets for our school?

Once the RSVP deadline has passed and all tickets have been allocated, we will offer any additional tickets on a first-come first-serve basis to schools that have already committed to attending. We don’t anticipate being able to offer more than one additional ticket to schools.

What should we bring with us?

Just yourselves! We will provide lunch at the event. There’s no need to bring a school bag or devices, but we do encourage you to bring your own refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Refilling stations are available throughout the campus.

Transportation Details:

There will be buses at both Lanyon place and Belfast Europa Bus centre to transport you to Stranmillis.

Those travelling on the 106 Crumlin to Belfast need to make the short walk from Millfield to the Europa Bus Centre

Note: Please contact events@keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org for more information about pick up times and locations from the Europa Bus Centre and Lanyon place. Please also contact events@keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org fora cover letter that will allow you and your party access to the trains and buses with no charge.

Strabane – Belfast Europa Bus Station 

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=3e4bd1e9ae9e116e8be36ad55f9af12049e3004e1d6691d41f70a56abe3d941e&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

Derry – Belfast Europa Bus Station

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=1bdad59124115e8161c1416397a0e0eab422dd7ff994a77eba6bd8c87b67c6ee&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

Larne – Belfast Europa Bus Station (Bus)

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=dec1a682740dd629688c5b4d5f0b3b7588f93cc955ead08ba71b200d7b6869e6&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

Larne – Lanyon place (Train)

file:///C:/Users/nadine/Downloads/timetable_NIRailways_Larne%20Line_Larne%20Line_13-May-2024-02-July-2024%20(1).pdf

Crumlin – Belfast

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=4f0f2b5e9e29edffd1f4f284818beadfd6b0264f7cf2c518379d29f01ef42a9a&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

Coleraine – Belfast Europa Bus Station

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=3e8a1a5ce1dbb5803684ce0d5526fa1c5055e560d4c74b5f846ba3711736cbc8&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

 Armagh – Belfast Europa Bus Station

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=0bff3c1efdbfd5142e081ca4ecf238085ba7f0aac2b2561462077d721abf39de&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

 Newry – Belfast Europa Bus Centre

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=74a2573810fce7638399ce369743b407d25050c7a242ad05d895488bf3494103&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

 Kilkeel/Newcastle– Belfast Europa Bus Centre

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=92700077a7b777f12e838811f8a08cbcf91a44619815d0187d3f06f46c168af9&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

Downpatrick – Belfast Europa Bus Centre

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=595511552a5051ebc723aefce2354068007e42493c34da11202458728acfd639&transportMode=Bus&route=T0&direction=H

 Bangor – Lanyon Place (Train)

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=80cb0b8db1c24318c91b42468f42470ee945942c467cc01f353cf9582c0e12b8&transportMode=Train&route=T0&direction=H

Newry Train Station - Lanyon Place (Train)

https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?routeHashCode=80cb0b8db1c24318c91b42468f42470ee945942c467cc01f353cf9582c0e12b8&transportMode=Train&route=T0&direction=R

There are three award levels within the Eco-Schools programme:

• Bronze
• Silver
• Green Flag

The Bronze and Silver awards are self-assessed online and trust is placed on each school to complete this process. If your school meets the award criteria, log in to the website to apply online and download your Bronze or Silver certificate.

Green Flag applications must be completed online in the new School Zone. The old paper application will no longer be accepted.

Once a school has been awarded the Green Flag it will need to reapply for the award every two years. First applications and renewals use the same application. As always you can submit your Green Flag application at any time;  however assessments will only now happen from March - June and awards are given in June of each year. 

We are hosting our final Green Flag clinic on Tuesday 20th February at 3.30pm. You can register here to attend the online information session.

The deadline for a guaranteed assessment in the 2023/24 school year is 1st March 2024. Schools applying after this deadline might not be assessed and awarded by the end of June.