Children strike gold in Yellow Woods competition - 10 March 2005
Children from schools across Rhondda Cynon Taf have struck gold in a national competition to collect Yellow Pages directories for recycling.Pupils were invited to collect old Yellow Pages directories in the Yellow Woods Challenge 2005. The educational environmental campaign is run by Yellow Pages and the Woodland Trust working with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. A total of 4.5 tonnes will now be recycled into wall insulation by Excel Industries Ltd.
Schools who collected the most directories per pupil won cash prizes. For every pound awarded, a matching pound is given to the Woodland Trust to support its new ‘Tree For All’ campaign, which aims to help plant 12 million trees over the next five years - one for every child under the age of 16 in the UK.
The 42 pupils from Glanffrwd Infants, Ynysybwl, Pontypridd, collected 210 Yellow Pages (5 directories per pupil) and won first prize - the Gold Oak Award - of £300 plus a native trees pack.
Pupils from Sts Gabriel and Raphael R C Primary School collected 517 directories (3.7 directories per pupil) and won the Silver Birch Award - £200 plus a native trees pack.
The Bronze Beech Award of £100 plus a native trees pack went to Nantgarw Infants School (57 directories collected by 28 pupils, equating to 2 directories per pupil).
Porth Infants School was highly commended, while Penrhiwceiber Primary and Llanilltud Faerdref Primary were also commended. They each received a native trees pack.
The Yellow Woods Challenge aims to get children into the recycling habit while learning all about paper, recycling and woodland conservation.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Cabinet Member for Environmental and Sustainable Development, Councillor Anthony Christopher, said: “This is the third year we have recycled Yellow Pages directories with schools and we are delighted by the efforts put in by the children, their teachers and their families.”
