Two Claires Paint St Francis Green
We are two students at St. Francis of Assisi Secondary School in Aldridge and
have always been very concerned about environmental issues. During 2001 we were
visited by an external speaker from Friends of the Earth West Midlands as part
of our A- level geography course: it inspired us to do something about our concerns.
We decided to begin at our school: we have set up a paper collection scheme involving
the whole school and a separate can collection in the sixth form. Our teachers
and the local education authority have been very helpful. It was hard to begin
with because the staff and pupils took a bit of getting used to changing where
they put the used paper and cans. Walsall Council have provided us with bins
and bags and a large 'euro-bin' to store the collected paper which the council
collects every two weeks.
We have regular meetings with our Head teacher and there is some money available
for us to build a pond or a garden, but we are quite busy with revision. However,
we are hoping to set up a green committee and request the help of younger pupils
with this vision. We are leaving in the summer to join university, but we are
beginning to set up a network of younger pupils to carry on the paper collection
and continue to make our school a greener place even when we have left.
We have a good link with many of the teachers, especially one, who encouraged
us in the beginning and provided us with much of the initial literature - the
Head of Geography. We have also joined in with some of the activities organised
by Birmingham FOE and are kept informed as to what is going on by having joined
their very useful egroup.
Claire Hartley and Claire Deakin