Keighley College 2023 Planet Earth Games Winner

Following three months of widespread climate action across the network, Keighley College has been crowned the winner of the 2023 Planet Earth Games Colleges event. Hosted by Planet Earth Games Trust in partnership with AoC Sport and Pearson BTEC, Colleges were challenged to deliver sustainable events and activities across seven sustainable themes.

Led by student ‘Climate Champions’ to organise participation, each College came up with in-house programmes to inspire and engage learners and staff in campus and community settings. In total an incredible 17896 sustainable actions took place in the lead-up to Earth Day on 23 April.

There were 31 colleges who entered and after carefully reviewing each submission, the expert panel consisting of Sam Strickson (AoC Sport), Gareth Reynolds (Pearson BTEC), Chris Broadbent (Planet Earth Games Trust), Lauren Smith (Team GB badminton player), Jess Fidler (Birmingham Commonwealth Games Head of Sustainability), Tommie Eaton (Bambuu Brushes) and Russell Seymour (Chair, British Association of Sustainable Sport) scored Keighley College as overall winner from Derby College and Birmingham Met.

Colleges were scored on innovation, carbon reduction and student engagement. Planet Earth Games Trust founder Chris Broadbent said: “We were blown away by both the scale and creativity shown during this year’s event. Activities such as the creation of a ‘Jungle Gym’, Vegan Yoga sessions, a new Sustainability Shop and an energy-generating gym really impressed the judging panel. “It was also brilliant to see how colleges had used the opportunity as a catalyst for launch projects with long-term legacies for sustainability and taken a partnership approach, engaging with local community organisations and national and international bodies to meet shared climate goals.”

Colleges wishing to take part in next year’s event can do so an at early-bird rate of £100 (frozen at this year’s fee) until World Oceans Day on 8th June. Sign up here.

College learners and staff who participated in this year’s event are also invited to help shape next year’s event by completing the feedback form here.