Young people in Offaly have their say at 'planning for the future' event

When it comes to planning, especially for the future, there is no better than Aisling McElligott, the Tullamore local who is building her business around wedding and event planning.

Ms McElligott took on her second event titled “Education for Sustainability – The Circular Economy” on Thursday last in the Esker Arts Centre in Tullamore.

The event drew a young audience of over 120 students from Scoil Eoin Phoil II (NS), Killina Secondary School, Rehabcare Tullamore, National Learning Network Tullamore, Colaiste Iosagain Portarlington and Moate Community School.

The theme for the event was the Circular Economy and involved four different workshops which the students attended throughout the morning.

The workshops focused on Plastics, Fast Fashion, The Circular Economy and Recycling/Sustainability.

Ms McElligott said: “It was great to get four schools and two centres engaged in such an important topic and to get young people thinking about the future that they want and how their choices now can impact on that”.

She went on to thank all who attended especially the people who delivered the workshops kindly sponsored by Offaly County Council Green Schools - Bord Na Mona, Education for Sustainability, Oxfam and Offaly County Council, the staff at Esker Arts Centre and above all the students who attended in such good numbers.

The event began with MC Ronan Berry opening and introducing Charlie Hackett (guest speaker), a third Level student who addressed the young audience on the importance of our choices and how we can all play our part to create a circular economy.

Charlie is standing as a Green Party Candidate in Portarlington LEA in the upcoming elections.

Susan Adams from Education for Sustainability explained the importance of the day and encouraged the students to take away some of the learning and the ideas and to bring it back to their own schools.

Also in attendance was Liam Walsh Green Party Candidate for the Tullamore Electoral Area. Liam congratulated Aisling and her team on creating such an event, which focused on a very relevant and current topic “The Circular Economy”.

The highlight of the day was when the Transition Year students from the three secondary schools showcased their Junk Kouture outfits to the large audience along with a Q &A session on the outfits, music and dance, MC’d by Ms McElligott.

For further information please contact Aisling on: aislingweddingandevents@gmail.com