GREEN teamers, please welcome a new school joining our ranks today.

It's St James High School and the youngsters there have got off to a great start with three shiny leaves on their first branch.

The newest Green team is made up of pupils from Years 7 and 8, supported by teacher Hannah Snowden.

They are all committed to improving their school's environment and increasing awareness about environmental issues.

Twelve-year-old Rhianna Copley said: "The Green team is a very good group. We tell people about how good it is to look after the planet.

And Kayleigh Lander, also 12, said: "I joined the Green team because I wanted to teach younger children what they can do to help save the world".

Giving her thoughts on the new Green team, 11-year-old Mabel Carrier said: "To me it is about saving our world and making it better for everyone else. It is great teaching younger children about how it is important to recycle and compost."

Also enthusiastic is Cathy Shaddick, 12, who said: "I love the Green team, it is fab! I love helping out, recycling, saving animals and composting. It's great!"

And Faye Vickery , who is 11, was excited to be involved: "Green team means a lot because it is helping make St James a better and more environmentally friendly place. It is also great fun helping younger children understand how important the environment is."

So what has the Green team been up to so far?

In the future the Green team hopes to spread the word to other primary schools and use school-made compost to grow plants, flowers and vegetables in the newly dug vegetable patches.

The Green team has also researched how to create new habitats and it is hoping to get bird and hedgehog boxes in the pond area, especially where the year 9 outdoor education group has planted the new trees.