Head teacher, Alistair Johnson was delighted at the children’s enthusiasm to make a difference to their town and committed to organising a litter pick once a term. Working with Faye Clifton from Green and Blue, a design company based in Cornwall, pupils also took part in an assembly to raise awareness of the problem of litter.

Over the year, the class that collected the most bags of litter won a trip to the visitor centre at Bodmin materials recycling facility, where they got to see first-hand what happens to the recycling collected from homes around Cornwall. To help celebrate a year of great work, Christine Roos, SUEZ Operations Manager and James Cocks, Site Manager for Pool’s materials recycling facility, presented this term’s winners with reusable water bottles. Appreciating all the work teachers put into events like this, Christine and James were delighted to be able to present teachers with their own reusable bamboo coffee cups. Christine said: “It’s great to see that educating young children about the environment can have such a positive effect on communities and we are delighted to be able to support the school in this way.”

The litter pick focussed on the streets the pupils use to walk to school every day. Parents and students were astonished at the amount of litter collected in just one morning, with the bins supplied by SUEZ soon overflowing.

Rachel Sharman, a parent of three children at the school, said: “My children have been really inspired by the litter picks and the education they have had on the importance of keeping where we live rubbish free. Without me even asking, they now actively pick up any litter off the streets and beach wherever they see it. Our little town and beautiful beach is a visibly cleaner place for it.”

• Bodmin materials recycling facility
• Litter pick
• Perranporth Community Primary School
• Visitor centre

• Education