Milford Primary School pupils’ coastal sculpture trail sends message about climate change

Primary school youngsters have have created a sculpture trail to inspire action against climate change

Over the last few weeks of term, the Year 6 children from Milford Primary have been hard at work creating life-sized sculptures to form a ‘sculpture trail’ around the village and coast, the young artists aiming to raise awareness about local environmental issues through their art.

They were inspired by artist Sir Antony Gormley, who said: “Sculptures make you aware of the world, and your time and place in it; they are in the world – they change the world and contribute to it.”

The pupils were conscious that their coastal community faces a potential sea level rise of a metre before the end of the century, when they will be 80, presenting challenges such as habitat loss and erosion.

They chose to create standing sculptures holding placards which display messages about climate change and local environmental issues.

This project aligns with their studies on the theme of ‘Gamechangers’, aiming to inspire urgent action in the fight against climate change.

The sculptures were made using litter collected from the beach and Forest by the children. They were then bulked out with recycled materials, covered in plaster bandages, and painted, reinforced with weatherproof varnish.

The children worked in groups of six, dedicating an hour each day over three weeks to complete this project.

Thanks to support from the Hurst Spit to Lymington Flood and Coast Erosion Strategy Team and with permission of the Environment Agency and the parish council, the sculptures will be displayed throughout the summer, offering residents and visitors a unique trail to explore.