Litter picking stories

As the curtain comes down on the second UK schools tour for Bin It! 2019 its time to reflect on what we have achieved. Over 18 weeks, we have delivered 199 shows to around 28,203 students in the 11-13 year old category at 157 schools, with VIP visitors from MPs, Mayors and Local Councillors.

The second UK tour of 2019 launched in London. After visits to schools in Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and a return to London for a second week, the Bin It! team then headed off through Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire before moving to the South West, South wales, West Midlands and North Wales, finishing with two weeks in Northern Ireland schools.

Since the roadshow first launched 14 years ago, the topic of litter has become increasingly relevant, as more and more schools devote lesson time to environment and sustainability issues. As such they value the Bin It! show as a way of introducing students to the importance of litter learning.

One UK Head teacher requested the Bin It! schools roadshow to help reinforce the policies they had already implemented within their school to keep the school clean. At another school, the local Mayor was a guest, and he shared with the pupils that a local litter pick had gathered 45 bin liners full of litter in two hours, so he appreciated the litter facts and anti-litter massages shared during the performance.

During the show students are asked for their suggestions for improving litter issues. Bins feature in ideas – more bins, bigger bins, illuminated bins with huge writing on and robotic bins that travel up and down pavements. The award for most original this tour was, ‘A never ending bin which never gets filled to the top.

Fines also feature in suggestions – up to £10,000 – and at one school students thought there should be a special police unit for catching people who litter.

Putting litter to good uses underpins the importance of recycling, with students suggesting making creative things with litter wrappers. And a word from a wise Welsh student, to cheers, ‘Adults should lead by example so kids will learn good habits.’

Mars Wrigley sponsors the UK school theatre-in-education tours as part of the company’s long-standing commitment to tackling litter issues.

Schools interested in the Bin It! 2020 schools tours, should visit the website roadshow page to register and take a look at linked teaching resources.