A Liverpool school inspired a new environmental campaign which has won support from the Duchess of Cambridge.
Backyard Nature pledges to help youngsters across the UK spend a total of one million hours outside by inspiring them to protect wildlife on their own doorstep.
The campaign, funded by the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, was inspired by the Eco Emeralds, a group of young environmentalists from All Saints Catholic Primary School in Anfield .
The youngsters aged seven to 11 contacted Iceland’s managing director Richard Walker via Twitter and were invited to the supermarket firm's head office to present their ideas, leading to the development of the campaign.
The Duchess said: "Spending time in nature can play a pivotal role in helping children grow up to become happy, healthy adults.
"The great outdoors provides an open playground for children to have fun and learn life-long skills – from balance and coordination to empathy and creativity – with their friends, parents, carers, or their family members.
"I hope the Backyard Nature campaign inspires children, families and communities to get outside and engage with nature, wherever they live."
Mr Walker said: "The Eco Emeralds share my belief that the next generation needs to connect with nature and become conservation activists, and their commitment to motivating and enabling others to do this is truly inspiring."
