Fielding pupils with PTFA members Lucy Floyer and Mary Horesh
RECYCLING
Pupils at Fielding Primary
in West Ealing are leading
the way when it comes to
bright ideas about helping
the school to recycle more,
reports Dan Stephens.
Saving the
world one cup at a time
A
series of initiatives
encouraged by a pupil
‘eco committee’ have been
helping the school stay as
environmentally-friendly as possible –
including when it runs its regular events
throughout the year, from Christmas
fairs to sports days and summer fetes.
New, reusable drinks bottles branded
with the school’s logo – and introducing
a £1 deposit system for reusable cups
– has so far already helped the school
avoid having to use more than 1,000
plastic cups and more than 500 single-
use, plastic bottles. It has proved popular
with pupils, parents and teachers.
Children using the
reusable bottles now have
access to unlimited squash and tap
water. The initiative has seen a drop in
the number of plastic bottles bought
and left behind after events, too.
A recycling reward stall was also
introduced at school events to reward
pupils who helped sort rubbish into
the right piles. They were given
school house points, stickers and
penny sweets. It also proved helpful
in educating pupils on which materials
could be recycled.
Mary Horesh of the school’s Parent,
Teacher and Friends Association (PTFA)
explained: “It’s all about making small
changes and steps that lead to big
achievements and, so far, everyone has
teamed up to help save the world one
cup at a time.
“The parents realised that our regular
fundraising events were producing too
much rubbish that unfortunately would
go to landfill. We introduced these
initiatives, that are simple but really
effective, to get people to change the
way they think about recycling and take
responsibility for their actions.
“It’s been great to see pupils, in
particular, being enthusiastic; and our
rewards scheme for pupils who recycle
during these events for example
is really effective in encouraging
positive behaviour.”
The PTFA is also part of an online
group with other like-minded, local
primary schools so they can all share
environmentally-friendly ideas.
Read the full story at
www.ealingnewsextra.co.uk/
fielding-recycling
around ealing Summer 2019
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