Across UK, children’s army launches this weekend’s great clean-up
WE FILLED 18 BAGS OF LITTER IN 30 MINUTES! Jupiter Community free school, Hemel Hempstead
Armed with litter-grabbers, a group of 36 year three pupils found scores of crisp packets, plastic bottles, wrappers and more then 20 cigarette butts within a hundred yards of their school.
They filled seven recycling bags and 11 bin bags in just half an hour, while 180 children aged between four and seven scoured their school field for more plastic waste.
Lulu, eight, was surprised at how much litter she had found just outside the school grounds. ‘it would be a good idea if we picked up litter every Friday. Then there wouldn’t be very much at all,’ she said.
Lacey-Marie, also eight, added: ‘Plastic doesn’t ever go away so it’s important people don’t just throw it on the ground.’
Year one teacher Katie Gillingham said: ‘Some members of the public were thanking the children and I think the children got a real boost out of it.’
PUPILS LOVE OUR BEACH – SO WE GAVE IT A CLEAN Pebsham Primary Academy, Bexhillon-Sea, East Sussex
Life at Pebsham Primary revolves around the beach that’s five minutes away, with lessons often taking place there.
Yesterday the entire school of 200 children, aged four to 11, went out on to it to collect litter and filled 12 bags – including three entirely of plastic.
Deputy headmaster Julian Wood said: ‘Being part of the Daily Mail campaign has given us the ideal opportunity for the children to see their actions as part of this brilliant nationwide campaign. On plastic, the kids are leading the adults.’
PICK-UP BROUGHT OUR LESSONS TO LIFE Keelby Primary Academy, Grimsby
Teacher Helen White said: ‘This presented an ideal opportunity to make a difference right on our own doorstep.’
The whole school got involved – 28 members of staff and 186 pupils cleaned up an impressive 20 bags full of litter.
Helen says: ‘The children treated it like a treasure hunt. We were all surprised by how much rubbish we found in our outwardly tidy village. Doing the Great Plastic Pick Up made us feel as if we were an important part of a much wider project. It brought our lessons to life.’
Pupil Francesca, ten, said: ‘Our village is very disgusting and not clean. People that use things should put them in the bin.’
400 PUPILS CLEANED UP 30 BAGS OF WASTE Westerhope Primary School, Newcastle
400 children and 50 staff were scattered around Newcastle-uponTyne in groups yesterday to pick up litter on the school grounds, its garden and the local community.
Teacher Matthew Outson said: ‘We had the youngest children helping to clear the school garden and the older children were escorted out into the community.
‘The children were shocked at how much plastic gets caught in the wind and sticks to the bushes, and at the weird and wonderful array of things people just leave lying around for others to clear up – we picked up a huge plastic paint tub, a child’s-size shopping trolley, a scaffolding pole and a whole load of plastic plant pots. In total we managed to collect around 30 bags – ten of plastic bottles.’
WE’RE SAVING CRABS... AND SEALS Seaton Sluice Middle School, Tyneside
A biting wind whipped in from the North Sea but it could do nothing to deter the 49 plastic pickers, aged ten and 11, from their labours on the beach opposite the school.
Pupil Reece, 11, said: ‘I found a crab that was tangled up in a rubber band. I quickly untangled it but it was too late, he was already dead. Maybe people don’t think crabs are important when they throw rubbish down on the beach but they are. All life in the sea is important.’ Friend Cameron, ten, added: ‘We see all kinds of animals like seals and dolphins. If we can see the damage that’s being done to animals, why can’t adults? The creatures in the sea have been here longer than we have, they deserve to be protected.’
DON’T ADULTS KNOW NOT TO LITTER? Goose Green Primary School, East Dulwich, London
A group of 15 children set out to clear the area around their school. Teacher Wendy Simpson said: ‘Our school backs on to a main road and our wildlife garden is always full of all sorts of litter passers-by throw over our fence.
‘The aim was not just clearing the rubbish and separating plastic, but to give the children the opportunity to tell other people how important it is to keep the country and the oceans clean and tidy.’
The children collected four big bags of rubbish. ‘They were very disappointed to see that so much of the litter like cigarette butts and beer cans had been left by adults,’ said Wendy.
WE FOUND A SCRATCH CARD! The Centre at The Northumberland Church of England Academy Ashington, Northumberland
Dawn Watson, a teacher at the specialist school for children with learning difficulties, led 100 pupils and staff from the primary and secondary departments on litter picks throughout the day.
The school managed to collect six bags of litter, with a few notable finds: One class found a bike saddle; Ethan, 15, found a broken plasma TV; and Aaron, 15, found a scratch card which he hopes might be a winning ticket.
PUPILS BEGGING TO DO IT AGAIN Quilters Infants school, Billericay, Essex
Learning support assistant Helen Bozza and deputy head Lydia Knight took 15 pupils aged five to seven to a public park area next to the school.
Helen said: ‘The children loved using the litter pickers – like bionic PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY PRESSREADER
arms! The highlight of the day was finding an old pull-along suitcase packed with bottles and, bizarrely, a light fitting.’ The team filled four bags with rubbish, three of them with plastic. ‘The children said they’d loved it, and begged me to take them out again,’ said Helen.
PEOPLE ARE TOO LAZY TO FIND A BIN Holy Cross Primary School, Sutton Coldfield West Midlands
Vice principal Katrina Crowley said: ‘We are astonished by the amount of litter we have collected – ten bags of general waste, three bags of metal waste and eight of plastic in a small area behind the school.’
Finbarr, nine, said: ‘In nice places like this there is always lots of litter around. It upsets me – especially as some people just throw it away because they are too lazy to find a bin.’ Iris, six, added: ‘The sea animals are dying. They are getting trapped and swallowing the plastic.’
ON AN ISLAND – BUT WE FILLED A TRUCK Sgoil Bhreascleit, Lewis, Outer Hebrides
This primary may be on the tiny island of Lewis (population 18,500) but it managed to fill a truck of waste. Teacher Catherine Ann Campbell led 30 parents and children on a pick-up that lasted three hours. She said: ‘We found plastic bottles, cans, food wrappers and agricultural waste.’
ANYONE CAN DO THEIR BIT Shorefields School, Clacton, Essex
Leah Smith, a teaching assistant at the special needs school, said: ‘Our students range from age five to 19 and have varying needs – some are in wheelchairs – but were all very excited about doing their bit for the beach area we love so much.
‘The number of plastic bottles was never-ending.’ In two hours the school collected six bags.