***photo opportunity *** photo opportunity *** photo opportunity *** photo opportunity <br><br>THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2005 - NAGS HEAD<br><br>Children from Grafton primary school in Holloway are taking to the streets on Thursday 29 September and picking up litter in the hope that local people will follow their example and think twice about throwing down their sweet wrappers, take-away food cartons and chewing gum.<br><br>Nine-year-olds from the school in Eburne Road armed with black bags are joining Islington Council’s A1 Clean Team and taking pride in the streets around their school behind the Nag’s Head shopping centre to rid them of rubbish. <br><br>But their message to shoppers dropping rubbish in the area doesn’t stop there – they will be making a litter sculpture and then taking it back out onto the streets to show people just how much they’ve collected in an hour and how unhappy they are about it.<br><br>“While the children of Grafton school are putting their litter to some creative use, they are also giving the community a wider message about helping them transform the local environment. <br><br>It's the sort of example that can have a big impact on a small area,” says Islington Council’s Executive member for Sustainability Bridget Fox. <br><br>Grafton Headteacher Nitsa Sergides says: “Our school is in the heart of Holloway Road – not only is it depressing when we walk out onto the streets to see the rubbish people have thrown down, but the autumn winds blow it into our playground.<br><br>“The children are questioning this litter – why do people have to throw their cans, sweets and food wrappers onto the floor outside our school, or dump rubbish bags which cats tear open and become a smelly health hazard?<br><br>“It’s unfriendly, it creates the wrong impression of our area for people passing through – that we don’t care about it. The children of Grafton school want their living space to reflect how they feel – and by taking ownership of the area, they hope local people will respect this and take responsibility for their own rubbish.”<br><br>Alongside the ‘Keep It Clean’ project, Grafton School are involved in the A1 Borough Schools Environmental Project and use the Environmental Toolkit produced by the council which is soon to be issued to all the primary schools and includes lessons on litter and the impact of litter on the environment and the well being of people in a community.<br><br>***photo opportunity *** photo opportunity *** photo opportunity *** photo opportunity <br><br>You are invited to send a reporter/photographer along to this event at:<br><br>11:10am- 12:00 litter picking session with 30 Grafton students & A1 Clean Team- around the Nags Head<br><br>15:00-15:30 display of ‘Keep it Clean’ artwork at Nags Head shopping centre, Mayor and Cllr Fox will be present along with students, A1 Clean Team and local police officers<br><br>ends<br><br><br>Notes to editors<br>The A1 Schools Environmental Project is an ongoing part of Islington Council’s A1 Borough project that aims to dramatically improve the quality of life for everyone who lives works or studies on or close to the A1 in Islington from Angel to Archway over the next 10-15years.<br><br>Funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, it has so far involved 9 local schools with the aim of making pupils, teachers and parents proud of where they live, go to school and play and bring positive effects for the whole community by taking responsibility for their environment. <br><br>The project targets three themes of litter, recycling and anti-social behaviour along the A1 corridor.<br><br>For more information please contact:<br><br>Imogen Purchas <br>Project Officer <br>A1 Borough Schools Environmental Project <br>Road Safety Unit, Street Management <br>Room 335, 222 Upper Street <br>London N1 1YA <br>Tel: 020 7527 2324<br>imogen.purchas@islington.gov.uk
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009