WIREDGOV

The traditional board game of snakes and ladders has been given a digital makeover by the Environment Agency for the 2022 Winter Olympics (4-20 February).

A ‘scarves and ski-lifts’ version for schools and families has been created to celebrate the ‘Bound for Beijing’ challenge - Team GB and ParalympicGB’s new educational programme, supported by Sport England and The National Lottery.

The fun game features preventing plastic pollution messages delivered through a variety of physical activities, and can be downloaded from the ‘Bound to Beijing’ pages of the ‘Get Set’ website.

When players land on one of 49 squares they can move up or down scarves and ski-lifts while finding out about positive and negative behaviours that impact on the planet - like using sustainable soap bars or reusable bottles instead of single-use plastic products. Players can also do a physical challenge, like 10 star jumps.

Environment Agency project lead Kelly Haynes said:

We are thrilled to be part of this exciting engagement programme for young people, which inspires through the power of sport at home and abroad.

This fun game teaches young people about the waste hierarchy and the small steps they can take each day to change behaviours, influence others, and help nip plastic pollution in the bud.

A spokesperson for Rosetta Primary School in London, said:

The Preventing Plastic Pollution game, offered as part of the Bound for Beijing Challenge, is a quick and easy physical activity to get your class moving while highlighting the importance of waste. The pupils loved the reboot of snakes and ladders in the new active board game.

The game has been created by the Environment Agency’s plastics and sustainability team on behalf of the Interreg-funded Preventing Plastic Pollution project.

It builds on new national sustainability guidance for the sports sector, which also encourages readers to sign up to the Big Plastic Pledge - a global campaign founded by Olympic gold medallist Hannah Mills that calls on sport representatives to ramp up efforts to tackle plastic waste.

The initiative also supports the Environment Agency’s ambition to promote better environmental practices that result in a reduction of plastic waste, helping to achieve the goals and commitments outlined in its EA2025 5-year plan to create better place for people, wildlife and the environment, and the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

Notes for editors

Interreg Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP): PPP seeks to understand and reduce the impacts of plastic pollution in the river and marine environments. By looking at the catchment from source to sea, the project identifies and targets hotspots for plastic, embeds behaviour change in local communities and businesses, and implements effective solutions and alternatives.

PPP is a €14 million funded EU INTERREG VA France (Channel) England Programme project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund which works mainly across Brest Harbour, Bay of Douarnenez, Bay of Veys, Poole Harbour, Medway, Test and Itchen, East Hampshire, Tamar, and Great Ouse catchments.

Partners are the Environment Agency, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Queen Mary University of London, LABOCEA Conseil, Expertise et Analyses, Syndicat mixte établissement public de gestion et d’aménagement de la baie de Douarnenez, Office Français De La Biodiversité, Parc naturel marin d’Iroise, Brest Métropole, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Counseil départemental de la Manche, Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer, The Rivers Trust, Syndicat de bassin de l’Elorn, ACTIMAR, Brest’aim, Westcountry Rivers Trust, South East Rivers Trust, and Plymouth City Council.

Environment Agency: As a regulator, the Environment Agency prevents waste plastic entering the environment by cracking down on waste crime and poor waste management. As an influencer, its ambition is to promote better environmental practices that result in a reduction of plastic waste, helping to achieve the goals and commitments outlined in its 5 year plan to create better places for people, wildlife and the environment, and the government’s 25 year environment plan.

Get Set: Get Set - The official Olympic and Paralympic youth engagement programme for schools across the UK is delivered by the British Olympic Foundation and the British Paralympic Association. Get Set is a legacy of London 2012 and is the longest running Olympic and Paralympic Games youth engagement programme.  Further information is available at www.getset.co.uk.

British Olympic Association: The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Its mission is to develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in our territory in accordance with the Olympic Charter.  The BOA achieves this through:

• working in partnership with our members and key stakeholders to deliver world-leading services and support to enable British athletes to reach their full potential at the Olympic Games, Olympic Winter Games and other IOC-sanctioned events
• working in partnership with our members and key stakeholders to provide athletes with relevant support on the journey to, during and following their Olympic careers
• engaging people throughout the United Kingdom to pursue their very own goals and dreams through the Olympic Values and the example of Team GB Olympians
• being the independent voice of Olympic Sport and collaborating with our members and other sport stakeholders, both domestically and internationally, to support the continued growth and overall health of the Olympic Movement in the UK.

For further information, go to: www.teamgb.com.

British Paralympic Association and ParalympicsGB: The British Paralympic Association is the National Paralympic Committee for the UK, responsible for the promotion of the Paralympic movement in Great Britain and selecting, entering and funding the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Paralympic team.

ParalympicsGB is the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Paralympic Team competing at the summer and winter Paralympic Games. We know that the outstanding performances of our athletes have a powerful impact on the British public and can shift perceptions of disability in society, helping to inspire a better world for disabled people.

The BPA would like to thank the National Lottery, UK Sport and our Gold Partners adidas, Allianz, bp, British Airways, CMR Surgical, Dreams, Hogan Lovells, Mondelēz International, Nestlé Cereals UK, Sainsbury’s, Toyota, Virgin Media, and our Partners asos, Citi, Papa John’s, Sir Robert McAlpine, Randox Health and Camelot for their support. Further details are available at https://paralympics.org.uk/.

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Sport England: Sport England is a public body and invests up to £300 million National Lottery and government money each year in projects and programmes that help people get active and play sport.

It wants everyone in England, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to feel able to engage in sport and physical activity. That’s why a lot of its work is specifically focused on helping people who do no, or very little, physical activity and groups who are typically less active – including women, disabled people and people on lower incomes.

For further information about Sport England, go to: www.sportengland.org.

About Spirit of 2012: Spirit of 2012 is the London 2012 legacy fund. Spirit awards grants for inclusive arts, sports and volunteering activities in communities that bring people together to improve their wellbeing.

The National Lottery Community Fund founded Spirit in 2013 with a £47 million endowment to continue and recreate the spirit of pride, positivity and community that inspired people across the UK during the London 2012 Games.

Our new strategy, Happier People Happier Places, looks at building sustainable social legacies, and creating lasting changes to how people feel about themselves and their communities.

For more information visit www.spiritof2012trust.org.uk.