Southwark Council helps Harris Primary Academy clean up classroom air
14 October 2019
Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich is the latest school to benefit from new air filtration units. Councillor Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and the Climate Emergency, joined head teacher, Jo Conduit, parent, Lauren Juliff, Helen Hayes MP, local councillor James McAsh and children from the school, to celebrate the arrival of the new units, 9 October.
Lauren Juliff’s children attend the school and she helped to secure the air filtration units. Lauren applied for money from Southwark’s Greener Cleaner Safer fund, recieving£17,000 towards the overall cost of £23,300. The rest of the money was raised by the school’s parent community, through events like a summer fair and parents’ quiz night. The units are now fitted in every classroom in the school.
Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich has also benefitted from council funding for a green screen of fast-growing ivy around the perimeter of the playground, and a School Street road closure outside the school, this helps to improve both air quality and road safety, at drop off and pick up times.
Cllr Livingstone said: “It is wonderful to see the magic combination of support from parents, staff and students, bringing about much needed change, to help improve air quality around Southwark’s schools. I would encourage anyone involved with our schools, to come along to one of our Cleaner Air for Southwark Schools meetings and find out how they can help to clean the air for local children.”
Head teacher, Jo Conduit said: “The units are estimated to cut particulate matter in the air by over 80 per cent so they are making a real difference to our children’s health and wellbeing. The units also filter out dust mites, bacteria and viruses so we hope the children will also suffer from fewer allergies and bugs too.”
- Sign up to emails about the council’s Clean Air for Southwark Schools meetings by contacting CAFSS@southwark.gov.uk
Page last updated: 14 October 2019
