Hathershaw College wins again at Chester Zoo Conservation Education Awards

Hathershaw College has again been triumphant at the Chester Zoo Outstanding Conservation Education Awards.

This year, Lisa Lott, Sustainability Lead and Teacher for English, has been awarded the “Outstanding Conservation Educator” prize.

This prestigious award was presented to Mrs Lott during a celebratory ceremony in Chester.

She attended the event, representing Hathershaw, and was honoured to receive the award that recognised all her hard work, and that of Hathershaw’s Eco Council.

Mrs Lott is an inspiring educator whose dedication to conservation education has created lasting impact for pupils, the wider community, and the environment.

She has transformed how students engage with environmental issues, embedding a strong ethos of action and awareness across the school and the Pinnacle Learning Trust.

She leads the school’s annual Sustainability Week, involving over 500 students in hands-on eco activities and awareness campaigns.

From hosting the Pinnacle Trust Eco Conference to launching student-led biodiversity projects, she ensures pupils are not just learning about conservation, but actively participating in it.

Through her work, the school has taken major strides in practical sustainability.

Recent projects include launching No Mow May to promote wildflower and meadow growth, installing bug hotels, bird boxes, and a hedgehog hotel to boost biodiversity, and conducting an audit of single-use plastics, followed by a campaign promoting sustainable alternatives and a new school laminating policy.

Her approach is rooted in collaboration and creativity.

She integrates conservation themes across subjects, produces student-led newsletters, uses drama and performance to communicate climate issues, and evaluates learning through innovative tools such as word clouds to measure student sentiment and engagement.

These methods ensure pupils are not only informed but empowered to act.

A Certified Carbon Literate educator, Mrs Lott leads by example and is soon to undergo training to become a facilitator, enabling her to deliver carbon literacy training within school.

Her passion, professionalism, and commitment to empowering the next generation make her an outstanding role model and a truly deserving recipient of this award.

Reflecting on her award, Mrs Lott said: “I’m truly honoured to receive the Outstanding Conservation Educator award at the Chester Zoo Conservation Education Awards.

"It’s a real privilege to be recognised in this way.

"I’m especially proud of our incredible student Eco Committee, whose passion and dedication to sustainability continue to inspire real change across our school.

"A huge thank you to all the staff at Hathershaw for their ongoing support and commitment to making our school more environmentally conscious – this recognition is a reflection of everyone’s hard work.” 

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