'˜Ready, Set, Recycle!' challenge in the region

The ‘Ready, Set, Recycle’ challenge will see young people across England and Wales compete to recycle the most plastic, paper, card, metal and glass - as The Scout Association teams up with national recycling campaign, Recycle Now.

The challenge came about after it was revealed that, if every Scout recycled one more plastic milk bottle, it would save enough energy to power a primary school for at least 6 weeks – over half a school term.

As well as working to improve recycling in their local area, the campaign encourages young people to lend a helping hand at home and the Scouts who recycle the most throughout the challenge will be awarded an activity prize and goody bag from Recycle Now.

Alice Harlock, recycling expert at Recycle Now, said: “We want local young people in Scouting to really think about recycling habits within their homes and to see what else they can do to recycle more and help their local community. ‘Ready, Set, Recycle’ is a great opportunity for all troops and their leaders to fly the flag for recycling across South Yorkshire, so we encourage them to visit The Scout Association website and sign up.

“Scouts of all ages can track their progress online against others across the country. They can also access useful tips from us and find out what happens to materials collected for recycling - for example that plastic bottles can be used to make picnic benches or that metal and glass packaging can be used over and over again.

“By the end of the challenge, we hope that Beavers, Cubs and Scouts will have learned how simple recycling really is, its benefits and the positive difference their hard work can make.”

Hannah Kentish, UK Scouting’s national youth commissioner, said: “We’re always encouraging our young people to make a positive impact within their local communities. It’s a great way to help make the world a better place.

“Preserving our environment is very much part of Scouting’s core values. With the help of Recycle Now, we’ll be encouraging our young people and their families to recycle as much as possible”.

Visit www.scouts.org.uk/recyclenow for details of the challenge.