Brunel Primary & Nursery Academy Award

Last Thursday the Liskeard and Looe Radio studio welcomed Darren Woolner and Katie Grinsted, respective Head and Deputy Head of the Academy at Saltash, together with Al Humphries the Lead of the 'Recycling for Charity' Project.

The Academy had recently achieved first place in a Nationwide 'Systema' Recycling Competition. The prize being a brand new playground which was officially opened by the mayor of Saltash, Cllr Rachel Bullock in a ceremony at the school in May.

Whilst the achievement and ceremony have been reported upon locally we thought it important that listeners and readers alike understood the 'journey' the children, their parents and local supporters had gone through to win the award, what it meant to them and the opportunities for other schools to become involved in similar projects.

Ali has been involved in many such projects over the last few years and when she became aware that local volunteer-based Recycling platform TerraCycle were looking to run the recycled playground competition she immediately contacted Darren.

Darren, newly appointed as Head was, Ali said, very enthusiastic to take part and in a very short space of time the race was on!

Both Darren and Katie, who is also the schools eco-council lead, explained that their progress could be monitored on a 'league table' and that by being 'late to the party' they had a lot to do in not a great deal of time if they were to have any chance of success.

Whilst the offer was simple to accept, engaging the children and their parents was, of course, much more of a challenge however, before long recycle bins at the school and elsewhere were being filled quicker than Ali and her team could collect them as a relentless army of parents turned up with bag after bag of home recyclables.

By mid-December, and with Brunel high up the leader board, the league tables were turned off, still giving the children time to continue the final push but not to be aware of where they stood in the table and in the words of the legendary Baldrick, 'a cunning plan' on behalf of the organisers to keep up the level of excitement.

Anxious weeks of waiting turned to excitement when Brunel were finally declared winners and their prize of a playground re-fitted with slides, ramps and many other activities all made from recycled materials, a symbolic reminder of their collaborative efforts.

Finally, I asked my guests what this had meant to the school and all were very much convinced that the project had been an unexpected education for pupils, parents and staff-alike and hoped that this success would encourage enquiries for similar opportunities available via the 'Recycling for Charity' Facebook page.

Liskeard VJ Day Celebrations

A reminder - Liskeard Traders Association VJ Day Street Party to mark the final day of WWII to be held in Fore Street on Friday August 15 and all are welcome!

Liskeard and Looe Radio can be heard online at www.liskeardlooeradio.com