Nationwide recycling writing contest inspires Glenelg primary school

Pupils from Glenelg Primary School’s Primary 3 and 4 classes are celebrating completing the REPIC School Adventure Challenge - a creative story writing adventure put forward by Bury-based not-for-profit Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) producer recycling scheme, REPIC. 

The nationwide contest has motivated schools across the country to write a series of short adventure blogs about their time spent with REPIC’s toy mascot, R3P1C. Pupils from Glenelg Primary School in Glenelg, Scotland volunteered to take R3P1C on several exciting adventures around Glenelg including going to the farm, joining the drama class, seeing ancient buildings called The Brochs and, usefully, helping with homework. 

Glenelg Primary School is one of 12 schools to complete the challenge, which has been supported by Highlands Council. The simple, educational and fun initiative allowed the children to take home R3P1C, a robot soft toy modelled on end of life household electrical products, and compose a short story about an adventure they went on together. 

The REPIC Schools Adventure Challenge was open to schools across the UK and forms part of REPIC’s wider ‘Responsible Recycling’ campaign, which launched in 2014. Blogs from every participating school will be independently judged and will see the top five posts receive a £200 Amazon voucher for their school to spend on new equipment. Every child who took part in the challenge will also receive their own R3P1C toy and a fun, education WEEE pack. 

Dr Philip Morton, CEO of REPIC said: “The challenge was a fun way to engage with families in our home-town and stress the importance of recycling their used electricals. It has been fantastic to have the support of Highlands Council throughout the challenge and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading all the children’s stories.” 

Primary 1-4 teacher, Mrs Maggie Finlayson said: “Pupils in classes 1-4 took R3P1C home and then wrote a report on the adventures they had. The children thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the creative writing challenge. R3PIC’s many adventures included feeding lambs, climbing trees, cycling, trampolining, playing Shinty, going in a tractor and going to a birthday party.” 

She continued: “It was great to have Phil Dewar, Waste Management Assistant of Highlands Council, visit the school and present each pupil with their own REP1C toy and WEEE pack goody Bag.” 

Phil Dewar, Highlands Council Waste Management Assistant said: “Electrical and electronic equipment is one of the fastest growing waste streams and contains materials harmful to the environment; so it really is important that from a young age our children learn about recycling WEEE responsibly and that they can share this learning with their families. The UK has a target to recycle 65% of WEEE by 2018 so every electrical item, large or small, really does count.”   

Householders can recycle any unwanted electrical items at nearly all household waste Recycling Centres across The Highland Council area. For further information visit: http://www.highland.gov.uk/ , email recycle@highland.gov.uk  or call 01349 886603. 

The children’s stories are all published on REPIC’s WEEE campaign website, http://www.responsible-recycling.co.uk/