JOHNSTON’s scouts group has won a national award for environmental journalism after researching the gannets of Grassholm Island.

The Young Reporters for the Environment Litter Less Campaign is an international journalism competition run in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy on behalf of FEE (The Foundation for Environmental Education).

It empowers young people between 11-21 to take a stand on a global fight against litter and articulate these issues through writing, photography and video.

The 1st Johnston Scouts Group won the 11-14 years category for its account of the plight of nesting gannets on Grassholm Island.

When asked about winning the competition, 1st Johnston Scouts said:

“It was great working together learning about the problems facing the gannets so close to home, interviewing people and writing the article.

“We really enjoyed it and learnt so much - from the skills needed to be a good journalist through to the distance marine litter travels and how big the problem is across the world.

“So many local people had no idea about the gannet’s struggle until they saw our exhibition in the library, so we know we’re already making a difference by raising awareness. “

“We are overjoyed to have won such a challenging competition, and it’s amazing to now be representing Wales in the International competition, and of course reporting on the Volvo Ocean Race Summit in Cardiff next month.”

The winner of the written article 15-18 years category was pupils from Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, who wrote about tackling plastic pollution.

The winner of the video category was the Eco Club from Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy who produced a persuasive video challenging their fellow pupils not to drop litter.

The photography category winner was Gaer Primary School created an image with a powerful message using hundreds of discarded gloves found on a coastal clean-up in Newport.

For more information on the Young Reporters for the Environment programme, visit keepwalestidy.cymru