KNOWSLEY Safari Park is calling on primary schools across St Helens join the fight against plastic pollution and help improve the sustainability of coastal habitats.

The venue is offering a roadshow of free workshops, which it will deliver in schools to help children learn about the damage of plastic in the oceans and its impact on marine animals and wildlife.

Schools taking part in the roadshow will also be invited to join in beach cleans in Formby, Hightown and Rockferry, where volunteers from Knowsley Safari and members of the public will be clearing-up coastal waste.

Roadshow workshops feature a host of practical classroom activities including a CSI style investigation examining how plastic has killed a giant turtle, a ‘who lives here’ activity focused on identifying species that live in coastal habitats and a ‘how we can help’ session looking at ways to reduce plastic usage and pollution.

The roadshow will be delivered by experienced members of Knowsley Safari’s Learning and Discovery team, which has helped more than 25,000 school children learn about wildlife and conservation during the past 12 months.

Workshops will take place during mid-September to coincide with the Marine Conservation Society’s ‘Great British Beach Clean’, which runs from Friday, September 20 to Monday, September 23 2019.

Knowsley Safari is encouraging schools to sign-up now for its roadshow, ahead of the break for the summer holidays.

Nikki Mallott, head of the learning and discovery team at Knowsley Safari, comments: “TV programmes like Blue Planet and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s new War on Waste are helping drive huge interest in plastic pollution.

"Our roadshow will help further encourage this interest in classrooms and spark curiosity among children about how they can improve sustainability and conservation.

“All of the sessions have been designed to be hands-on, using a series of props to make them interactive and engaging.”

Knowsley Safari’s team will be taking part in beach cleans from Sunday 15th to Tuesday 17th September, with the roadshow workshops being delivered in schools from Monday, September 23 to Friday, September 27 2019.

Workshops are designed for primary school age children, lasting for one hour and suitable for classes of up to 30 children. Schools can book one session or multiple workshops for different classes.

Schools interested in booking workshops can email: learning@knowsley.com