North East Young People Showcase Green Innovation at Regional Climate Challenge
26th May 2026
- Innovative ideas: Projects included biodiversity bins, a minibeast-inspired fashion range, and a low-carbon cookbook.
- Regional impact: Over 2,000 young people from 14 schools across the North East were supported by the Young Green Briton Challenge.
- Next stop, London: Winners from the North East will receive funding and mentorship before heading to the Houses of Parliament in 2027.
We were proud to support the Young Green Briton Challenge North East Showcase, where students from across the region presented innovative ideas to tackle climate change and improve sustainability in their communities.
Held at Newcastle University, the event brought together teams from 11 schools to pitch projects ranging from upcycling initiatives and biodiversity solutions to low-carbon cookbooks and sustainable fashion.
Benfield School and Gosforth Central Middle School were named joint North East winners. Benfield’s project “Out with the old, in with the new,” focused on repurposing damaged school items, while Gosforth Central impressed judges with Bio Bins, a biodiversity-friendly bin cover designed to support local wildlife. Both teams received £500 to develop their ideas and will showcase their progress at the Houses of Parliament in 2027.
The runners-up also impressed the judges, with Gosforth East Middle School securing £200 for their low-carbon cookbook, while Hexham Middle School received £200 for their creative range of minibeast-inspired clothing made from unwanted textiles.
The event forms part of the Young Green Briton Challenge, a national programme that has engaged more than 2,000 young people across 14 North East schools this year, helping them develop green skills, entrepreneurial thinking and climate solutions.
Simon Gilroy, Trustee of Reece Foundation, said:
“Supporting the Young Green Briton Challenge is about investing in the future talent, ideas and ambition that exist here in the North East. The creativity, passion and problem-solving demonstrated by these students was inspiring to see.“We are proud that Reece Foundation funding is helping young people develop the green skills and confidence needed to shape a more sustainable future for our region.”
The showcase highlighted the incredible talent and creativity of young people across the North East and demonstrated the important role they will play in building a greener future.
Kat Crisp, Co-Founder of the Young Green Briton Challenge, said:
“We have been delighted by the support of so many amazing partners across the North East, enabling us to meet the incredible demand from local schools and grow our footprint in the region. This showcase was a fantastic opportunity for students to proudly share the amazing projects they’ve developed to address real-world sustainability issues. Every single participant should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”
Dr Stephen Blenkinsop, Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University and one of the judges added:
“All the teams from across the North East demonstrated the importance of tackling climate change and showed how green skills and knowledge will complement other skills like entrepreneurship, science, and art in the future. Watching the students present their ideas was hugely inspiring and lots of fun, and identifying winners from such a diverse range of high-quality ideas was extremely difficult but hugely encouraging!”
YGBC is supported by a fantastic network of regional and national partners, including the Reece Foundation, LNER and the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority in the North East, with national partners including the Green Britain Foundation, Ecotricity, and Trainline.
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