Huge demand to from schools to take part in centre's recycling scheme

The British Ironwork Centre, on the outskirts of Oswestry, relaunched its ‘Coral the Clownfish’ national recycling educational project last weekend.

The scheme features large metal fish sculptures that travel to schools around the nation, ready to be filled with crisp packets and confectionary wrappers for recycling.

The hope is that schools help their children to re-use the crisp packets, and turn them into something wonderful, such as art projects or even thermal foil blankets for those in need.   

The centre said that in anticipation of the relaunch, it was thought that another handful of schools would step forward, but instead thousands of entries and messages started to flood in. 

The centre said that ‘Coral’ the clownfish has already travelled to hundreds of schools around the nation, and is looking forward to an extremely busy upcoming schedule.

The British Ironworks Centre is now in the brainstorming phase of how best to meet the tidal wave of demand, with the team thinking of ways to be able to accommodate everyone that has stepped forward. 

Clive Knowles, Chairman of the British Ironworks, said: “We are absolutely swept away with the volume of schools wanting to get involved in our national recycling project. Our instinct is to accommodate every application that comes in, and right now we’re trying our best to work out a way to meet the enormous surge in demand."

Currently, there are six different coloured clown fish sculptures travelling across the UK. 

To accommodate demands the centre would need at least 100 fish and it is now publicly asking if other businesses, or organisations can help.