West Barns Primary students get animated in litter campaign

CHILDREN at an East Lothian primary school have been using animation techniques and movie technology as part of a new environmental campaign aimed at cutting waste and safeguarding wildlife.

A still from the children's video. Picture:contributed

Pupils from West Barns Primary, on the outskirts of Dunbar, have directed and produced two short films highlighting the dangers of littering for animals such as the endangered puffin and red squirrel as part of their Take it Home campaign.

They have also created posters, leaflets and signs to be distributed around the local area to encourage proper disposal of rubbish.

Dunbar became Scotland’s first Zero Waste Town in 2014, a scheme funded by the charity Zero Waste Scotland to boost activities including recycling from both households and businesses.

Pupils undertook a variety of activities to support the campaign and create the films. Tasks ranged from collecting litter, auditing the rubbish and speaking with specialists to carry out research.

The children also learned first hand about publicity, the media and how to maximise the reach of a campaign.

Susan Carleton, education officer for Zero Waste Town Dunbar, said: “The children really threw themselves into this project and we are thrilled with the outcome.

“Everyone at the school worked so hard. Using the innovative approach of incorporating stop-frame animation and green-screen technology has allowed even young children to engage with the issues and have fun whilst learning.”

Head teacher Gillian Whitford added: “The week was very successful and it gave the school a real link with our local environment.”

Zero Waste Town Dunbar’s mission is to slash the amount of waste going to landfill to five percent and raise recycling rates to 70 per cent by 2025.