Boris Johnson responds to Balham primary school after petition goes viral

A petition started by a Balham primary school aiming to prevent water voles from going into extinction has received a response from the Prime Minister.

Rutherford House School's petition, started by the Year 5 class, has received more than 50,000 signatures and has gotten national coverage, including an appearance on Good Morning Britain.

The petition has asked for those signing to take a "Vole Vow"' - a set of promises which would prevent water vole from going into extinction and try to encourage councils to work together to prepare habitat and protect rivers from pollution.

Rutherford House School's petition cited heavy pollution and housing development as reasons for water voles' declining numbers, as South West Londoner reports.

Head of Direct Communications at No.10 Mandy Goridge responded to the school's petition on behalf of the Prime Minister.

She told Rutherford House School that she would be bringing the issue to Defra, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, but the Prime Minister wouldn't be able to support the campaign.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also could not participate in the letter but said it was "really inspiring" to hear from young people who have a passion for the environment.

Teacher Matilda Pickford, 27, explained she didn't expect the petition to receive as much attention as it did, but that hasn't put the school off helping their students get involved.

She said: "Our full-time jobs as teachers were put on hold as we tried to manage press releases and video calls.

"Our role of encouraging activism in the community is always on the forefront of our minds.

"That being said, we are aware that it is so much more powerful when it occurs organically."

Wandsworth Council's Director of Environment and Community Services, Paul Chadwick, told an Overview and Scrutiny Committee earlier this week that they wouldn't be able to reintroduce water voles to Wandsworth yet.

He did say that the Wandsworth Council was taking steps to improve habitats in the borough and protect rivers from pollution, citing its recently published biodiversity plan.

You can read the petition on the Change.Org website.

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