Young ACAN - the branch of the Alton Climate Action Network for children and teenagers - held its third schools’ eco conference at Alton College.

It brought together 82 pupils from 12 local schools for its Treasure Not Trash Conference, funded by the Transition Network, which aimed to transform them into rubbish-fighting superheroes equipped with knowledge to reduce waste which they could share with their classmates.

They were welcomed by Young ACAN lead Emma Jones, who set the scene before handing over to Hampshire County Council waste champion Roland Richardson, who presented statistics on the problem of waste, including that food waste and clothing rather than plastic made up most global waste.

Pupils participated in workshops covering sustainable fashion, composting, ocean plastic and waste-free food, learning practical ways to cut waste and promote sustainability, such as visiting a refill shop like Fill Up in Alton or making a patch to mend jeans.

Teachers and pupils were treated to the premiere of a film about Alton's Repair Café made by Alton College film students which showcased the value of repairing rather than discarding items.

A competition was launched to create a comic strip featuring a waste-monster fighting superhero, with the winning entry set to be turned into a short animated film by local artist Flossie Waters.

A pupil from Medstead CE Primary School said: "I really enjoyed the ACAN conference because it taught us so much about how much waste there really is."

A spokesperson from Young ACAN said: “The Treasure Not Trash Conference was a resounding success, leaving a positive impact on both students and teachers as well as a shared commitment to a greener future.

“The knowledge and enthusiasm gained by these young trash-fighting superheroes will be shared by the students with their peers in their schools, making a lasting impact on their communities.”