Bringing Clean Air to the Kids of Bristol and Beyond

All parents joke about schools being “germ factories” and how everyone seems to be coughing by October, several weeks in to the autumn term. Sickness and time off work are an unwelcome outcome for many families when the kids return to school.

What if there was something we could do?

We need to clean the air that our kids are breathing.

Simply adding an air filter to each classroom and regularly opening windows could significantly reduce the number of coughs, colds, and covid-19 infections that our kids catch at school. It would also increase attendance and improve their concentration.

Schools could provide safer air per child per year, for the price of a coffee & cake. We must do this!

We wouldn’t let our children drink dirty water, why are we letting them breathe dirty air?

Not Just the Spread of Bugs

It is now well understood that air pollution outside, is a problem. But did you know that indoor air can be up to five times more polluted?

The pollutants that can be present in our indoor air include invisible nasties such as mould, fungal spores, pollen, bacteria and airborne viruses like measles, flu and Covid-19.

Breathing poor-quality air is a well-known risk to children’s immediate and long-term health. It exacerbates existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, and also affects how well young people can perform in exams.

Benefits of Cleaner Indoor Air

Outside of their homes, children spend most of their day in densely populated classrooms. Compared with adult office spaces, schools have four times the amount of occupants.

Improving air quality in schools will not only reduce absence rates and protect children’s health and well-being; there is evidence that it will also sharpen concentration and enhance educational performance.

Our Vision is to provide cleaner indoor air to benefit the health of all children

Ventilation

Opening windows lets stale indoor air out and the external air flow in

Filtration

Removing particulate matter from the room air using air filters

Legislation

Campaigning for better standards for indoor air quality

Five Direct Benefits to Schools

Reduced sickness absences for pupils and staff – meet the targets

Improved performance – better teaching, better learning and better exam results

Reduced costs of supply teachers – saves money which could be spent on enrichment

Better learning experience for students – fewer lessons taught by supply teachers

Less onward transmission of sickness into families and the wider community which helps the economy and the NHS

Creator

Ruth Brooker is a mum on a mission to help improve the air quality in schools, so they really are inclusive and all children can attend safely.

“I became aware of the problem with indoor air when my little son was going through cancer treatment. How could I help him access his classroom when chicken pox, strep A, covid-19 and flu were in high circulation?

So I started monitoring classroom CO2, chatting to staff and building DIY air filters to help my children’s school be as safe as possible.”