Rotherham Can

When it comes to cleaning-up the environment and recycling waste - 'Rotherham Can' - and one local school is about to prove it.

Next week Year 5 pupils from High Greave Junior School at East Herringthorpe are about to prove that 'Rotherham Can' when it comes to cleaning up the environment and re-using waste.

The school is about to engage in 'Casting Innovations' - a new social enterprise scheme that will see the school recycle and re-use waste it collects from the East Herringthorpe area. 
 
Youngsters at the school will work with officers from Rotherham Borough Council's Community Protection Unit, Wentworth South Area Assembly and  Rotherham Streetpride staff. They will also get helping hands from South Yorkshire Police and the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue services.

The project aims to raise awareness of litter, fly-tipping and the affect these environmental crimes can have on the perception and safety of the local community. Using interactive and hands-on workshops the young people will design and make their own usable items from waste collected from recyclable cans.

Craig Cornwall from Rotherham Borough Council's Community Protection Unit said: "The project will be extremely fun and informative for the young people. They will learn about the negative connotations that irresponsible dumping of litter and waste can have, as well as learn more about our zero-tolerance approach to such issues. They will also be offered a fun alternative for the waste which will underpin their learning."

The project will be delivered over three days on June 28 and 29 and July 1. All three days will begin at 9.30 am, with a waste collection van being on site to take away the waste collected.

On June 28 the groups will take part in a workshop including presentations and an interactive quiz, and will then undertake a clean-up of a selected area. On the June 29 and July 1, the children will enjoy the fruits of their labour - making useful items they can take home such as key rings from the recyclable waste they have collected.

'Casting Innovations' is a social enterprise being co-ordinated by local man  Lee Brooks. His vision is to engage communities to raise awareness of recycling and reusing waste.