NURSERIES in Swindon have been given a prestigious ‘bronze’ eco accreditation.

The Co-operative Childcare venues, including at Great Western Hospital and in Buckhurst Fields, Walcot, have been accredited through the Keeping Britain Tidy scheme.

That means they have all nominated an eco-committee of children, completed a child-led evaluation of the nursery, and created a hands-on action plan to make it a greener place.

And homes and gardens in Swindon are more eco-friendly now, thanks to its budding new environmentalists embarking on learning adventures across the county.

Tracy Rundle, nursery manager at The Co-operative Childcare at Great Western Hospital Hospital, said: “We work hard to create the best nursery environment possible for the children and the eco-school accreditation not only helps us make sure we do so in the most environmentally-friendly way possible, it also provides brilliant opportunities for children to explore the world around them.

“One little boy even went home from nursery and asked his mum at the supermarket tills why she was using plastic carrier bags, because they’re bad for the whales and dolphins.”

The Co-operative Childcare is now working towards all of its nurseries being Green Flag holders – the most prestigious certification.

This is well under way, as more than a quarter of nurseries across the network have already achieved ‘silver’ accreditation.