MORE than 100 schools across Southampton and Hampshire have pledged to switch off for a campaign designed to save energy and cash, and promote environmentally-friendly practices.

The schools are among more than 4,000 nationally taking part in the EDF Energy initiative Switch Off Fortnight, backed by Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton, pictured, which starts today.

The take-up in the region – including Wildern School in Hedge End, Winchester’s Westgate School, Great Oaks, Portswood Primary and Shirley Infant schools in Southampton, Fair Oak Junior, Hordle Primary, Uplands Primary in Fareham and Bay House School in Gosport – makes it the ninth most involved in the country.

Through a series of activities organised with EDF’s schools programme, the Pod, children at participating schools are encouraged to switch off lights and other electric goods, as well as cutting the use of standby buttons.

Victoria Pendleton said: “Encouraging children to think about the impact of their actions on the environment is really important.”