Battle Abbey School children's flag flies in Antarctica

As part of their weekly Societies hour the Battle Abbey School Eco Society designed and submitted several flag designs for consideration. Rosie W (Year 10) and Grace B (Year 7) were joint winners and very excitingly had their flag displayed in Antarctica at the South Georgia research location!

Teacher Ann Carey said: “I have just had photo evidence back from Antarctica and our flags are indeed on display. The photo shows Mads Anderson (UK Marine Biologist), and Isa Wilkie (Marine Microbiologist from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany) two scientists currently on board the German icebreaker RV Polarstern. The ship is currently on the shelf around the sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia on an expedition called Island Impact.

“We also received a certificate back with a covering letter saying: ‘This certificate is awarded to Battle Abbey School for designing inspirational flags “in the interests of all mankind.’ We couldn’t be prouder!”

The Island Impact research expedition sees 13 teams of scientists working together to better understand the sources and transport of iron, carbon and other nutrients from the land, ice and water on the island to the Southern Ocean around it.

Scientists are sampling on the island of South Georgia, in the shallow waters offshore, as well as in the deeper fjords and troughs around the island on its continental shelf. Water, sediments, plants from the land, the water column and the sea floor are being sampled for the project.

The scientists are from a range of home countries and institutes (including Argentina, England, Germany, Italy, USA, Wales) and speak a whole range of languages.