Recycling proves a winner for three of the borough’s primary schools

Brimrod Primary School

Children at schools across the borough have been taking part in a recycling competition that aims to get more people to recycle their rubbish.

Brimrod, Parkfield and Boarshaw Community Primary Schools are celebrating cash prizes after students took on the recycling challenge.

The council launched its Recycle4schools campaign to help increase awareness of what can be recycled and encourage everyone in the borough to recycle more. The educational programme was specially designed to teach the whole family the importance of recycling along with practical examples of how to recycle at home.

Year 5 pupils at 69 schools received a one-hour lesson from one of Rochdale Council's recycling officers. Following the lesson, parents and guardians were asked to take a five minute online quiz with their child to build on what they had learned. After the quiz had been completed the children received a recycling wristband and their school was entered into the prize draw to win up to £500 cash to spend on equipment.

Approximately 20 per cent of Rochdale households have a child of primary school age. The Recycle4schools campaign runs every year to engage with as many of the borough’s residents as possible.

Recycling only the right items in bins is really important so that they can be turned into new products, like new paper, compost, plastic bottles and aeroplanes. Recycling right saves us all money, enables the council to spend more on essential local services and reduces the pressure on the world's limited resources.

Brimrod Primary School in Rochdale won the top prize of £500 while Parkfield Primary and Boarshaw Community Primary Schools in Middleton came second and third to win £300 and £200 respectively.

Councillor Neil Emmott, Rochdale Borough Council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Pupils have really engaged with the recycling lessons. I’ve visited all of the winning schools this week and the children have been proud to talk about all that they have learned and how they recycle at home. They are the future of our town and it’s their efforts that will increase our recycling rates even more, help to make the family home a greener, cleaner place, and help the environment.”

Mrs Thompson, deputy head of Brimrod Primary School, said: “Raising awareness is extremely important to us here at Brimrod. Classes have been working hard on lots of environmental topics to help children to understand the world around them. The money will help to provide building blocks for future learning.”

For details on what you can recycle in the borough, visit:

• rochdale.gov.uk/recycling