Art on the Cart

Copyright NNDC

Children's travelling posters say 're-use, reduce and recycle'

North Norfolk's eleven dustcarts, as well as collecting rubbish and recyclables from the district's 50,000 homes, are now helping to spread an important environmental message, thanks to the work of local schoolchildren.

The dustcarts, or 'waste collection vehicles', have been decorated with huge posters, based on the winning entries of a recent schools art competition, which was held to find designs and slogans to encourage residents to 'slim their bins'. The key message had to be 're-use, reduce and recycle'.

The winner of the competition, which was run by North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) and sponsored by SWAC (Schools Waste Action Club), Rainbow Foodstores and Serviceteam, who operate the refuse vehicles, was nine-years-old Kirsty Whiskin, a pupil at North Walsham Junior School. Kirsty's design won her a day out with her family at the Ecotech Centre in Swaffham, and a £50 book token for her school.

Runners-up were Hannah Boon, also from North Walsham Junior School, and Iona Lake from Wood Dene School, Aylmerton.

"We have all got to slim our bins these days and reduce the amount of rubbish that is buried in Norfolk landfill sites," said Jonathan Denney, NNDC's Contracts Division Inspector. "The idea of putting the children's colourful and eye-catching posters on the sides of the collection vehicles is just another way of spreading the word and, literally, driving the message home."

Picture caption: From the left, Iona Lake and Kirsty Whiskin with their winning entries, and (back row) Councillor Geoff Wise, NNDC's Portfolio Member for Community Services; Gavin Fitt, Driver Charge Hand for Serviceteam; Alison Pagan of SWAC; Jonathan Denney, NNDC's Contracts Division Inspector; and Peter Sullivan, Serviceteam's Contract Supervisor.