Eco news from Parkfield Primary School

'Recycle Dave', Parkfield's newest member of the Eco Team

The second set of eco badges have been awarded at Parkfield Primary School as part of their year-long eco project, where each pupil is encouraged to walk to school at least once per week.

The Middleton school launched their project in September in conjunction with UK charity ‘Living Streets’ ambition of every child who can walking to school. Every child will receive a badge if they walk to school at least once per week for a month.

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Fitting in with Parkfield’s pledge to recycle as much as possible, the badges are created from recycled yoghurt pots. Parents can then scan the badge through the interactive WOW app, showing a visual and audible journey throughout the Americas, unlocking interesting and fascinating facts and the animals and culture.

School business manager Karen Bracken said: “We have given out our second set of badges now and the children are well adept at registering their travel each morning.”

Over the coming months, the students will be looking to see if they can reduce the amount of traffic outside the school in the morning, the positive effects of reducing pollution through less traffic, the health benefits of walking and how this can improve other areas of wellbeing.

Parkfield Primary has also been extended work around the project by linking with the Mikoroshoni School in Kenya to compare their journeys walking to school. The Kenyan school has sent photos of two children, aged eight and 10, walking to school, which will be shown as a video during Wednesday’s assembly (8 November).

Ms Bracken commented: “We have just received some beautiful pictures from the Mikoroshoni School in Kenya that show us in pictures the walk to school of two children who are aged 8 and 10. We are showing the video in assembly on Wednesday and Mr Brooker, who is one of the Mikoroshoni School’s trustees, is coming to watch.”

The school has also welcomed their newest member of the Eco Team, aptly named ‘Recycle Dave’, in honour of Rochdale Borough Council’s Dave Leeming from the Environmental Management team, who Ms Bracken says has been ‘instrumental’ in Parkfield’s success in recycling.

The Middleton school has increased recycled waste from just under 35% to over 60%, well on the way to achieving their target of 65% this year.

‘Recycle Dave’ was Parkfield’s entry into the Middleton in Bloom Scarecrow Contest – made entirely of recyclable items.

Ms Bracken added: “Unfortunately we didn’t win, but we all think he is pretty cool. He is made of all recyclable items and will stay in school to remind us of our pledge to recycle as much as we can.”

The school has also had its application for Green Flag status approved and awaits the assessor’s visit.