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RECYCLING IN THE URBAN JUNGLE
VISITORS to South Sefton Recycling Park would be forgiven for mistaking it as a safari park next week, as animals from around the globe turn the site into an urban jungle.
7 of Merseyside schools have each created an animal made solely from recycled materials, in order to mark the recent successful launch of the £1 million flagship-recycling centre. Pupils will bring their recycled animals to the centre
on Wednesday, for a special parade.
The Recycling Park, which is owned by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA) and managed by contractor Mersey Waste Holdings, opened at the end of last year to help the area meet strict recycling and composting targets set by the government.
The site is home to an educational facility, which includes exhibitions and a classroom, so that local residents and children can learn the importance of reusing and recycling. To help get children involved, MWDA came up with the idea of the 'recycled zoo' and contacted local schools to ask if they would like to be involved. Mersey Waste Holdings has given each participating school funds for materials and support in the making of their animals.
Carl Beer, Director of MWDA, comments:-"The future of recycling obviously lies with our children, so we need to help them develop awareness of its importance, in order that recycling becomes second nature to them. We hope the animal parade will get the children interested and excited about recycling, and help them to understand how many household goods can be reused rather than thrown away."
For the parade, there will also be a range of old household goods available for children to create an instrument to provide background music as their animal is being displayed - helping them bring the safari to life. Guests from MWDA, Mersey Waste and Sefton Council, as well as parents, teachers and members of the public will provide an audience for the parade.
The children who make the winning animal will take home a £200 cheque for their school, and every child who's contributed will walk away with a goodie bag of items made from recycled materials and a special certificate.
More than 100 visitors at a time can use the new site, which caters for paper, cardboard, textiles, plastics, bottles, cans, glass, engine oil, green waste, rubble, scrap metal, white goods and car batteries. Materials are kept separated, enabling 70% of the items received to be recycled.
Rob Allan, Managing Director of Mersey Waste Holdings said:- "As the contractor we are pleased to be working in partnership with MWDA to meet their aspirations for the future."
Councillor John Fletcher, Chairman of MWDA said:- "We would like to see 40% of the region's waste being recycled, which is quite an increase from the 10% recycled last year, and recycling centres such as these are imperative in helping us reach that target. We have to reduce landfill as the Government's new cash fines are coming into place, which could result in extra payments of £70 million by the end of this decade."
Councillor Fletcher added:- "I would also like to thank all the children, teachers and parents who are taking part in our special animal parade and congratulate them on their hard work in putting together the recycled animals for the event today."
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Homeless people take centre stage
A TALENTED group of homeless people are about to take centre stage in Liverpool. In a unique project
that is backed by the city's Creative Communities programme. It is the UK's only homeless theatre company
and it has arrived in Liverpool to work with the city's homeless community.
Touring theatre group 'Cardboard Citizens', with local homeless people, has developed a unique drama with local homeless people called
'Word on the Street'. Discussing issues surrounding being homeless, the drama workshops were expected to attract around 5 people each time, but the theatre group has been overwhelmed by support,
with up to 17 people attending each session.
Now, the group are ready to showcase their work so far in a special performance at the Unity Theatre.
Council leader Mike Storey said:- "We are committed to tackling the issues surrounding homelessness in Liverpool, and this project will help open many people's eyes to the emotional and physical difficulties that not having a home can bring. Our Creative Communities programme is about reaching out to all sections of our city - so I'm pleased that so many homeless people have had the chance to develop new skills and express how they feel through drama."
Regional development co-ordinator at organisers Cardboard Citizens is Shila Brown. She said:-
"We are very much hoping that this project is the start of some really exciting work by the homeless community of Liverpool. It has so far proved to be an incredibly creative and committed group and 'Cardboard Citizens' are really excited about their potential for the future."
Cardboard Citizens started in London, and now works with 3,000 people a year in the capital. They have recently developed work in the soon-to-be Capital of Culture to strengthen their work in the North West.
The company has run a series of 14 outreach sessions in partnership with the Whitechapel centre and Hope Street, including some sessions at the Liverpool YMCA.
This group has rehearsed intensively this over April 18 to 22, and has pledged to continue working with local homeless people in the build-up to Capital of Culture.
Creative neighbourhoods Manager Alicia Smith from the Liverpool Culture Company said:-
"We're really happy to be supporting this project and are thrilled that it has attracted so much support from the homeless people themselves."
The 'Word on the Street' performance took place on Friday 22 April, at the Unity Theatre. It
was an interactive drama that got the audience involved in the key issues surrounding homelessness.
Liverpool city council has a legal responsibility to house anyone who presents
them self as homeless and works hard to make the transition from the streets to a permanent residence as smooth as possible.
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