The ‘Fill a Fish’ initiative aims to protect Guernsey’s coastline, engage young people and encourage recycling plastic waste
The four winners of Suntera Global’s ‘Fill a Fish’ initiative in Guernsey were announced on Tuesday, 14 October at a special reception at the Princess Royal Performing Arts Centre.
Olivia Marsh, aged five, from La Houguette Primary School; Sienna Le Page, aged six, from La Mare de Carteret Primary School; Sibbie O’Hara, aged 8, from Forest Primary School; and Ben Chesters, aged 9, from Castel Primary School were all selected as winners across their categories, for their designs of giant marine-themed sculptures to encourage recycling and reduce the amount of plastic waste on island beaches.
Winners had to fend off fierce competition, with almost 600 pupils across Guernsey having entered the environmental conservation competition, organised by Suntera Global.
Entrants submitted their designs in either of two categories: ‘Little Starfish’, for 4- to 7-year-olds, which saw Olivia’s hermit crab and Sienna’s visually striking fish take the top prizes; and ‘Deep-Sea Adventurers’, for 8- to 11-year-olds, where Sibbie’s ‘Tilly the Turtle’ and Ben’s hammerhead shark design triumphed.
The winning designs were selected by a panel of judges and will now be brought to life by engineering and creative arts students at The Guernsey Institute, supported by Mark Pratt, Head of Department, and renowned local artist and lecturer Mark Cook, before being positioned in permanent homes in key locations around Guernsey’s coastline next year.
Delivered in collaboration with Clean Earth Trust, Nature Commission, and The Guernsey Institute, ‘Fill a Fish’ is an award-winning initiative that aims to address growing concerns around the damage caused to marine ecosystems by plastics.
First launched by Suntera Global on the Isle of Man in 2022, the initiative has led to more than 80,000 plastic bottles being collected so far from the Island’s beaches and coastlines.
Commenting on the winners in Guernsey, Sara Le Page, Governance, Risk and Compliance Director – Guernsey at Suntera Global, who was also a competition judge, said:
“We were delighted that so many children engaged with the ‘Fill a Fish’ initiative, and we saw an array of truly imaginative and inspiring submissions. I cannot wait to see the winning designs brought to life. Suntera Global is fully committed to being an active contributor to greater environmental sustainability, and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with our charity partners and local schools to make a positive difference in the local community.”
Paul Bugden, Policy Officer of the Clean Earth Trust, added:
“We are thrilled to have worked on this initiative with Suntera Global and to see so many children engage with protecting our local environment. Our latest Marine Litter Report found that in Guernsey, just over 82% of rubbish collected from our beaches is plastic. This directly harms wildlife and introduces microplastics to the food chain and atmosphere, whilst also contributing to climate change. It is vital that we reduce plastic consumption and encourage greater recycling so we can all continue enjoying our beautiful coastline.”
Angela Salmon, Head of Operations and Education, the Nature Commission, who also sat on the judging panel, commented:
“This was a fantastic collaborative project that has not just engaged our young residents but will also encourage their friends and families, as well as visitors to our beautiful island, to consider the importance of safeguarding our environment for future generations. The creative output from these young children was incredible, and judging the entrants was no easy task - but the winners’ designs were fantastic, and I look forward to seeing them in situ in due course.”
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