Four teams of schoolchildren have competed in a one-day event to contribute to a "greener, fairer, climate-smart world."

The 26 young finalists from Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire schools gathered last Friday for the culmination of a year-long learning programme supported by business partners.

At the event, the children were tasked with delivering solutions to make improvements to climate change, energy, and fashion waste.

The winning team from Queen Elizabeth High School in Carmarthen came up with a solution to tackle fast fashion waste by designing personalised soft toys made from waste fabric.

They were praised for their understanding of the problem, collaboration with businesses and charities, and their design prototype.

Other innovative concepts included Milford Haven School's 'Cafe Cleddau', which proposed a solar-powered boat to connect communities along the Haven.

The boat design included a soft play area on deck, sustainable food snacks, and back-up hydro-powered batteries for cloudy days.

Each finalist team received vouchers for the Social Supermarket, an ethical online store.

The winning team was awarded a £300 cash prize to build biodiversity projects at their school.

The event was hosted by Cymbrogi Futures, an education enterprise based in Pembrokeshire.

It marked the end of their flagship pilot programme, Tomorrow’s Changemakers (TCM).

The programme, inspired by Wales’ Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, takes secondary school learners through an educational journey starting online and ending with an enterprise challenge based on real-life business problems.

The judging panel comprised representatives from the challenge sponsors, the Port of Milford Haven and Cwm Environmental, as well as local government and the Senedd.

Samuel Kurtz MS, a member of the panel, said: "Witnessing the curiosity, bright ideas, and ingenuity of these students has been truly inspiring.

"Ambition is critical, and the enthusiasm and vision shown by these students demonstrate that they are ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities the world has to offer."

Anna Malloy, communications and marketing director at the Port of Milford Haven, said: "The Port is proud to be part of this incredible initiative, where young minds are coming together to shape the future of Wales in the face of climate change.

"As we work towards a net-zero future, it's vital that we empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead the charge."

Ms Malloy applauded the Tomorrow’s Changemakers programme for its demonstration of community collaboration and the importance of driving positive change for future generations.

Queen Elizabeth High School's lead teacher, Nia John, said: "It has enabled me to incorporate real-life experiences into the classroom as I planned for pupils to interact with industry experts.

"It was very exciting when they began receiving replies and communication to grow their sustainable ideas."

Cymbrogi Futures founders, Liza Lort-Phillips and Ian Chriswick, echoed the appreciation for the participating companies, the Milford Haven Port Authority, and Cwm Environmental, for their support.

They expressed their desire for every learner in Wales to have similar opportunities.

Mr Chriswick said: "This is as close to real-world learning as it gets.

"Their data and insights have brought the learning experience alive for everyone.

"We want every learner in Wales to have this kind of opportunity."

The event was a response to the new Curriculum for Wales and the country's ambition for a net-zero future.