About KAP

Meet Amy and Ella Meek, aged 20 and 18, founders of the youth-run, youth-focussed charity Kids Against Plastic (KAP).

Amy and Ella founded KAP in early 2016 at age 12 and 10, with a bold vision – to empower young minds to become agents of change on environmental issues close to their hearts, all while building essential skills and confidences. What began as a small social action campaign has grown into a movement of young people around the world.

The KAP Club, the heart of the charity, has a membership of over 280 young people, who share their passion for bringing about positive environmental change. The club provides an inclusive platform for aspiring changemakers to not only learn about issues facing the planet, but also take the lead in starting their own environmental action and even crafting their own youth campaigns – including the KAPtat and the 1 Million Pick-Up initiatives, run by youth members and supported by KAP.

Alongside the charity’s youth work, KAP’s Plastic Clever scheme – which aims to foster a smarted approach to single-use plastic usage – has grown to engage more than 1800 schools, alongside cafes, businesses, festivals, and many more sectors. And Amy and Ella, along with their family, have picked up over 100,000 pieces of plastic litter, alongside developing a litter logging app in collaboration with Esri to track and calculate collections done globally as part of the charity.

Throughout the years running KAP, Amy and Ella have been passionate advocates for youth participation and the urgency of environmental action – they’ve spoken at all three parliaments in the UK, at TEDx Exeter and TEDx Geneva, and addressed the United Nations youth summits. Their work has been recognised with the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award, the Pride of Britain 2021 Green Champion Award, and a British Empire Medal (BEM) as part of the Queen’s New Year Honours list.

Amy and Ella Meek, aged 20 and 18, are the founders of Kids Against Plastic (KAP), an environmental education charity. Starting KAP in 2016 at just 12 and 10 years old, their mission is to empower young minds to tackle environmental issues while building skills and confidence. What began as a small campaign has evolved into a global movement inspiring youth.

At the core of KAP is the KAP Club, with over 280 members and counting, providing a platform for young change-makers to lead their own environmental initiatives, including KAPtat and 1 Million Pick-Up campaigns. KAP’s Plastic Clever program has also engaged over 1800 schools, businesses, and festivals, encouraging smarter single-use plastic practices.

Beyond the charity’s work, Amy and Ella have picked up over 100,000 pieces of plastic litter and developed a litter logging app with Esri. They’ve been passionate advocates, speaking at UK parliaments, TEDx events, and UN youth summits, and have been recognized with the Points of Light Award, Pride of Britain 2021 Green Champion Award, and a British Empire Medal