WINKLEIGH Primary and Shebbear College are among 63 schools in Devon taking part in the first national 'Waste Week' for schools this week.

Team EDF Paralympic gold medallists Liz Johnson and Tom Aggar helped launch Waste Week. Organised by EDF Energy's programme for greener schools 'The Pod', it runs to Sunday March 18.

Waste Week aims to get schools learning about lunch and snack waste and thinking about how they can cut down the amount of waste they produce, and reduce the proportion that goes to landfill by re-using, recycling and composting. This year the focus of Waste Week is on the waste associated with food eaten in school.

Youngsters have been completing a range of activities to cut their food waste and packaging to a minimum.

Lunchtime Crunchtime activities packs handed out at the schools provide lessons and examples on how schools can encourage pupils to cut down their lunch and snack packaging.

The schools have also been sent free campaign packs which include posters, stickers and badges to promote the campaign around the school buildings. So far 3,400 schools have signed up nationally.

Robyn Thom, EDF Energy's education programme manager, said: 'Waste Week is a great initiative that raises awareness of lunchtime waste in schools. It's not a one-off event, but a campaign that allows children and young adults to truly embrace green issues and make a real difference over time.'