A REDDITCH day nursery has completed its Plastic Free Schools accreditation and officially ditched single-use items.
Established in 2018, Plastic Free Schools is a pioneering programme which equips young people with the tools to understand the problems of single-use plastic and eliminate it where possible from their places of learning.
Partou Alexandra took up the challenge to become plastic free in 2022 as it aligned perfectly with the nursery’s sustainable and planet-friendly ethos.
Throughout the accreditation process, the children worked with team members to successfully complete a series of objectives that focused on education around single-use plastics and reducing their use.
Holly Browning, manager at the nursery, said: “The children have learnt to look out for recycling symbols and help us to recycle each day.
“We have also endeavoured to utilise reusable products wherever possible and have reduced our use of single-use plastics significantly.
“For example, many of our loose parts, curious treasures and pieces of furniture are pre-loved and sourced from charity shops or recycling stations.”
Partou Alexandra team members have sought to creatively repurpose items within the learning environments, supported by families who continuously donate items that would have otherwise been thrown away.
They have also completed numerous ‘trash mob’ challenges, donning safety gloves and removing any litter around the nursery which stands within the grounds of Alexandra Hospital.
Holly added: “The children have enjoyed a wealth of literature aimed at inspiring planet-friendly habits, and the reasons why we must take care of our environment and the wider world.
“These books have often sparked wonderful invitations to play and child-led discussion and learning.”
The nursery also created its own outdoor critter corner, kept chickens and planted wild flowers to encourage pollinators to visit.
Holly added: “In addition, the children grow and tend to fruit and vegetables which are used at snack time or to cook with.
“Our final objective was to create a piece of art showcasing our planet-friendly outlook and then challenging ourselves to spread the word.
“The children created a junk-modelling masterpiece called Roger the recycling robot.
“He sits proudly in our recycling station, reminding us all of our hard work and continuing efforts.”
