Success for Cheshire East’s junior recycling officers

Two Cheshire East primary schools have been awarded the title of ‘junior recycling officers of the year’ at an awards ceremony.

The recycling programme – managed by Ansa Environmental Services on behalf of the council – was also ‘Highly commended’ at the recent MJ Awards for ‘Innovation in Communications’ in London.

Schools from across Cheshire East took park in this year’s junior recycling officer programme, four of whom were lucky enough to reach the finals. They were; Warmingham CofE Primary, Alderley Edge Community Primary, Lindow Community Primary, Wilmslow and St John’s CofE Primary, Sandbach Heath.
The children delivered a five-minute presentation on the recycling efforts in their schools during the year to vie for a cash prize.

The judges were Cheshire East cabinet member for the environment Councillor Don Stockton, Ansa director Councillor Steve Hogben and Ansa deputy managing director, Jane Thomason.  After much deliberation, it was decided that two schools could not be separated. Lindow Community Primary and Alderley Edge Community Primary were jointly crowned.

As well as being awarded a shield each and a certificate to display, they were both awarded £150 each to contribute to their school recycling projects at the event held at Tatton Park.

The judges were impressed with the high level of standards and their passion to ‘reduce, reuse and recycle.’ Children showed initiatives such as collecting old mobile phones to recycle and resell to raise money for a defibrillator, creating chairs from newspaper as well as pieces of artwork made from recycled materials.

Cllr Don Stockton, said: “Every year, the standard of entries for this competition gets higher and higher. It was too difficult to choose one winner and these two schools demonstrated a clear understanding of their role, as well as how to bring the message alive in their school, at home and with friends and family.”

Cllr Steve Hogben said: “The junior recycling officer programme continues to go from strength to strength. The passion for the environment shown by all of these children is a great example to us all and their teachers should also be congratulated. Inspiring children, such as these, hold the future of our planet in their hands.”

Cheshire East Council was delighted to be ‘highly commended’ in the ‘Innovation in Communications’ category at the MJ Awards, in London, for its success with the junior recycling officer programme.

Ansa has revamped the junior recycling officer programme to examine specific waste issues in targeted areas, in an effort to boost recycling rates and reduce recycling contamination. As a result, pupil engagement per term has gone from approximately 250 children to around 4,000 children.

The junior recycling officer scheme is open to all primary schools in the borough and is free to join. Participation enables schools to receive free talks on recycling and reducing waste as well as providing the pupils with the resources to learn and educate their peers.

If you are interested in getting your primary school involved in joining the programme for the next academic year, please contact Lucinda Hodges, Waste Education Officer on 01270 686684 or email Lucinda.hodges@ansa.co.uk