A Newcastle school has begun a 'carbon fast' for this year's Lenten season.

Westfield School for Girls in Gosforth recently had an eco-friendly heat pump installed - as well as solar panels on its roof - to provide underfloor heating and cooling for the building.

Marion Farndale, headmistress of the school, explained to The Chronicle that the decision to step up the establishment's green efforts had been made in an assembly.

"As well as being better for our environment, it reduces our heating costs and is much more effective," she said of the green makeover.

During the forty days of Lent, pupils will also attempt to cut the school's carbon footprint by removing lightbulbs in favour of natural light.

"It's very much part of the other environmental initiatives we've got going on in the school," said Ms Farndale.

"We are taking out lightbulbs and taping over switches as a reminder to people that they don't have to switch things on."

The school's latest planet-saving initiative follows the example of Durham's new Greenhouse Business Centre, which is to generate all its own electricity and transfer heat from solar panels into its mains pressure hot water tank.

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Author:  Joanne McCabe

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