The Tayside Police Schools Wildlife Crime Project has reached its conclusion for another year with a prizegiving at a ceremony in the Gannochy Suite at Dewar’s Rinks in Perth today (at midday, Wednesday, May 7).

In all, 1500 primary pupils from schools in Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross have been involved since last September in learning about wildlife crime, the many forms it takes, and how this is dealt with by the police.

Over the months they have compiled a nature diary, drawn a Scottish wild animal, bird, plant or insect, written a short story imagining they were carrying out a police wildlife crime officer’s job for a day, and pestered parents in the completion of a wildlife quiz testing their new-found knowledge.

Alan Stewart, Tayside Police wildlife and environmental crime officer, who organises the project, said:

‘‘The last part – the quiz – is done at home with the involvement of adults. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for this as I suspect that in many cases the pupils know more about wildlife crime after completing this project than their parents.

 

‘‘I sometimes wonder who is teaching who – and that is part of the reason that I insist that this last part of the project at least should not be done in class.’’

The prize-giving was again kindly sponsored by Scottish Natural Heritage and a buffet lunch provided for the 80 winners and parents. The £1500-worth of prizes was generously provided by Dobbies Garden World in Perth and Monifieth. They were awarded to winning pupils by Superintendent Craig Suttie, Deputy Divisional Commander for the Perth & Kinross area.

Alan said:

‘‘This type of project would not be possible without the help of sponsors. This year I am also indebted to Perth and Kinross Education Department for providing funds to produce the DVD on wildlife crime used by all of the classes in their preparation work. I am assured by the teachers this is a project that all the pupils really enjoy and the DVD ensures that a large number of classes can participate without overwhelming me with work.’’

This year’s prize winners are:  

ANGUS

Ferryden

P5/6 - Best in class - Samantha Hawke (44.5 points)      

P6/7- Best in class - Drew Murray   (41.5 points)          

Glenisla

Drawing, 1st - Adam Forbes, P7 

Drawing 2nd - Grace Eadie, P6

Short Story 2nd - Grace Eadie  

Drawing 3rd - Ailsa Peters, P7

Short Story 3rd - Ailsa Peters

Home quiz 100% - Ailsa Peters

Drawing 4th= - Jack Davidson, P5

Drawing 4th= - Morven Mclean, P5

Home quiz 100% - Morven Mclean

Best in class - Morven McLean  (59 points)

Short Story 1st - Alastair Davidson, P5

Short Story 4th= - Heather Simpson, P5

Home quiz 100% - Lachlan Peters, P5

Home quiz 100% - Murray Forbes, P7

Home quiz 100% - Lynn Simpson, P7

Home quiz 100% - Jamie Wells, P7

Langlands

(P6-7C) 

Best in class - Ruth Scott  (44 points)

Letham

(P6)

Nature Diary 3rd - Katy Hogath

Home quiz 100% - Katy Hogarth

Best in class - Katy Hogarth (63.5 points)

Short Story 4th= - Kittie Clapperton

Lochside

(P6D)   

Home quiz 100% - Findley Soutar

Best in class - Findley Soutar  (31.5 points)

(P6MP)

Home quiz 100% - Andrew Littlewood

Best in class - Jennifer Keogh  (41.5 points)

Maisondieu

(P5)

Best in class - Chloe Thomson  (29 points)

Northmuir

(P4/5) 

Nature Diary 1st - Alex Guthrie

Best in class - Alex Guthrie  (75 points)

Short Story 4th= - Laura Cuthill

(P5)    

Best in class - Mark Ogg  (51 points)

Seaview

(P5A) 

Nature Diary 4th - Katie Ramsay

Strathmore

(P5)

Short Story 4th= - Carol-Ann Timmons

Best in class - Emily Gray  (35.5 points)

(P5/6)

Nature Diary 2nd  - Jordan Lovegrove

Best in class - Ewan Maguire  (42.5 points)

(P6)  

Best in class - Megan Reid  (57.5 points)

(P6/7)

Special prize (unusual nature diary) - Ellie McCallum

Best in class - Ellie McCallum (29.5 points)

DUNDEE

Barnhill

(P5)

Best in class - Lauren Bell  (41 points)

(P7b)

Drawing 1st - Caroline Allan

Drawing 3rd - Danielle Easley

Short story 2nd - Lewis Gunn

Short story 3rd - Elayn Fraser

Best in class - Carrie Strachan (53 points)

Eastern

(P5A)

Nature Diary 4th= - Kirstin Brown

Short Story 4th - Kirstin Brown

Nature Diary 3rd - Fraser Steedman

Best in class - Fraser Steedman (58.5 points)

Nature Diary 4th= - Joseph Sweeney

Drawing 4th - Frances Eva

Home quiz 100% - Thomas Rhind

(P5B) 

Nature Diary 1st - Ethan Dalziel

Best in class - Ethan Dalziel (75 points)

Nature Diary 2nd - Aidan Raffle

Short Story 1st - Aidan Raffle

Hillside

(P6)

Best in class - Hannah Greene (35.5 points)

(P6/7)

Best in class - Rebecca Brown (44.5 points)

Rowantree

(P6)

Best in class - Rachael Campbell-Sinclair (42.5 points)

St Josephs

(P5)

Best in class - William Barton (35 points)

(P6)

Drawing 2nd - Iona McKendry

Best in class - Kirsty Sharp  (41.5 points)

PERTH AND KINROSS

Alyth

(P5)

Diary 4th - Ryan Duncan

Best in class - Ryan Duncan  (46 points)

Drawing 3rd - Kennedy Muir

Braco

(P5-7)

Short Story 4th - Bethan Hallgarth

Best in class - Bethan Hallgarth (48 points)

Forgandenny

P4/5

Best in class - Philip Harrier (33 points)

P6/7

Best in class - Finlay Stewart (39.5 points)

Kettins

Home quiz 100% - Hamish Mitchell

Best in class - Hamish Mitchell (49 points)

Kirkmichael

(P4/5)

Home quiz 100% - Isobel Milford

Home quiz 100% - Rachel Waugh

Best in class - Rachel Waugh (36 points)

(P6/7)

Drawing 2nd - Holly Brown

Short Story 1st - Annie Winton

Best in class - Annie Winton (48 points)

Home quiz 100% - Neil Stewart

Home quiz 100% - Jessica Milford

Madderty

Drawing 4th= - Charlie Dawes, P6

Short Story 4th= - James Duguid, P5

Best in class - Megan Adams, P7 (47.5 points)

Meigle

(P4-5)

Nature Diary 3rd - Kirsty Barron

Best in class - Kirsty Barron (34.5 points)

Methven

(P4-5)

Nature Diary 1st - Seamus Blanche

Short Story 4th= - Seamus Blanche

Best in class - Seamus Blanche (56 points)

Moncreiffe

(P7)

Nature Diary 4th= - Catriona Beattie

Best in class -  Catriona Beattie (51.5 points)

Short Story 3rd - Jacob Lewis

North Muirton

(P5-6)

Best in class - Lewis Mitchell (33.5 points)

Special prize for extra effort - Ross Rattray

Oakbank

(P6J)

Nature Diary 2nd - Bethany Fletcher

Best in class - Bethany Fletcher (51.5 points)

Short Story 4th= - Sean Davidson

(P6W)

Best in class - Callum Mitchell

Pitcairn

(P5-6)

Short Story 2nd - Morven Coull

Best in class - Morven Coull (49.9 points)

Story with incredible imagination - Max Mills

Pitlochry

(P7)

Drawing 1st - Brodie Hall

Short Story 4th= - Martin Macleod

Best in class - Annie Ramsay-Stagg (46 points)

St Madoes

(P4-5)

Drawing 4th= - Iona Grieve

For further information about Tayside Police, wildlife crime officers, the schools’ project and, indeed, wildlife crime in general, log on to www.tayside.police.uk/wildlife