YOUNG Barry Gladiators are leading the way in the fight against litter - after completing a ten-month research project.

The Gladstone School Gladiators team gave a presentation to pupils about their work last Friday (January 25), and were awarded certificates recognising their efforts.

Their findings will now be presented to the Vale of Glamorgan Council as part of a ‘summit meeting’ - in a bid to clean up the local area.

Sadie Govier, Rebecca Luxton-Jones, Megan Kerslake, Jay Slack and Subhan Anwar started the project in March last year, with the backing of Helen Cubberley, a Development Worker for the charity Funky Dragon.

Funky Dragon is the children and young people’s assembly for Wales and aims to ‘enable them to get their voices heard by Government and others who make decisions about policies and services that affect their lives’.

During the project the youngsters researched their fellow pupils’ attitudes to litter through questionnaires, cleared up the school grounds, and spent two days at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay meeting ministers and deputies to discuss their project. Megan, 10, said: "We are hoping that the project will stop people from littering and causing pollution."

11-year-old Jay added: "I enjoyed going to Cardiff and having a tour of the Senedd. Litter picking around the school was also quite fun."

Helen Cubberley said: "I’m proud of them - they put so much hard work into it."

Headteacher Caroline Newman added: "What the children have done is fantastic.

"We are incredibly proud of all them and it’s wonderful to see them have a strong voice within our community, to ensure that the place where they live is a better environment.

"We hope as a school to continue with the ideas that they have thought of."

Jane Hutt AM, who presented the youngsters with their certificates, said: "The Gladstone School Gladiators team have excelled in showing the commitment of school pupils to improving their environment.

"They have made an excellent film about their project showing the outcome of their work and have a clear understanding of citizenship."

She added: "Gladstone Primary School has really excelled itself.

"Helen has worked her socks off with these children and they thoroughly enjoyed it."