"Green" for go in schools Olympics design competition

It's an Olympics win with a difference as one Charters School pupil sprints to success in a borough-wide design competition to spread the message of recycling during the forthcoming Games.

Thirteen-year-old Year 8 pupil Mathilda Taylor of Sunningdale beat off competition from more than 200 other budding young designers from borough schools to take "gold" in the innovative competition organised by the borough's waste management team.

The challenge was to design a poster encompassing the spirit of the Olympics alongside the importance of recycling to be displayed on the side of one of the borough's new recycling trucks during the Games.

Matilda's winning design features a runner on the starting blocks - with the "body" made up of recyclable items including milk bottles, old shoes, clothes, foliage and even CDs - alongside the words "On your marks, get set, recycle!"

Mathilda explained: "I wanted to show the connection between the Olympics and the environment. In many sports in the Olympics you have to race quickly and our environment is a ticking time bomb and we must try to look after it."

Cllr Phill Bicknell, cabinet member for highways, transport and environment, said: "Mathilda should be very proud of her eye-catching design which she will soon see 'up in lights' on one of our waste trucks during the Games.

"All the entries to this competition were of a very high standard and show that our young people really do understand the importance of recycling. I would like to congratulate all the entrants for their imaginative and colourful efforts - and hope that they, their families and all our residents enjoy the spirit of the Games which are now just around the corner - while remembering the important recycling message."

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