Children in Sandbach Heath are crowned recycling champs!

 

Children from St John’s CE Primary School in Sandbach Heath beat off stiff competition from several other children to be crowned Ansa’s Junior Recycling Officers of the Year.

The event took place at a fun, interactive event at Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre.

Ansa, a company owned by Cheshire East Council, was established in April 2014 and delivers environmental services for the council. Our Aim is to reduce the long term environmental impact of the services we deliver while increasing customer satisfaction and driving down costs.

Every year, schools in Cheshire East nominate two junior recycling officers who work with Ansa’s waste education officer Lucinda Hodges to prepare and present assemblies, run competitions, set up recycling schemes and collections and encourage other pupils to raise awareness of the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

At the end of the year, junior recycling officers enter the yearly award and children, teachers and parents are invited to an awards ceremony where each shortlisted child gives a short presentation about the work they have done throughout the year and a team of judges choose the winners.

The judges – Ansa chairman Councillor John Hammond, Ansa board director Councillor Roger West and Ansa general manager Jane Thomason – chose Shannon Levitt and Aimee Trembath, from St John’s CE Primary School, in Sandbach Heath, as this year’s winners.

The judges felt the pair had been the most innovative, creative and proactive in their approach but the runners up were also recognised for their hard work and were presented with a medal and wind-up radio. 

At the event, Shannon and Aimee talked about the work they had been doing over the last year in school to raise awareness about recycling, which included making animals from old boxes they then painted. They also performed a play at school where the reception children made trees, made planters from unusual items such as trainers, skirts and bin bags and held an eco bake-off too!

Ansa chairman Cllr John Hammond said: “I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Junior Recycling Officers and was very impressed with the work they have done within their school to educate other children about recycling.

“I would like to congratulate Shannon and Aimee for winning – but must also congratulate all the children for being shortlisted as it’s a great achievement.”

Ansa managing director Kevin Melling added: “Continually improving the way we recycle and reduce our waste is incredibly important and that is why we work with children in schools as they are our future generation.

“I am delighted that so many schools across Cheshire East have actively engaged with us and I would like to personally thank all our junior recycling officers for working so hard to raise awareness of the need to reduce, reuse and recycle”

The other junior recycling officers that were shortlisted this year were from Vine Tree Primary School in Crewe, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Congleton, St Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School in Knutsford and Cranberry Academy in Alsager.

For more information about the role of the Junior Recycling Officers, please visit, junior recycling officers