Shropshire students go ape for recycling

Pupils at the Thomas Adams School in Wem wanted to combine art with getting across the recycling message.

So they joined forces with the makers of the spoon gorilla, the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry.

The result was a special, gorilla shape cage that the students are going to fill with thousands of colourful bottle tops.

Maxine Turner, head of house at the school said: "It was the idea of the students from the eco-club. With the current concern about plastics and the pollution of the oceans they wanted to highlight plastic use and recycling. But they also wanted to make a piece of artwork."

"We have no idea how many bottle tops we will need to fill the gorilla but anyone who would like to collect them for us is welcome to drop them off at school."

Chairman of the Ironwork Centre, Clive Knowles, said: “The school’s Environmental Club approached us to discuss their project ideas and challenged us to create something inspiring for their bottle tops.” One of the world’s most endangered species, the mountain gorilla is the perfect symbol to help raise awareness for the protection of our environment and its species, and we can’t wait to see the finished project later in the year.

“When they visited us at the centre the students helped our in-house blacksmith to complete the gorilla by welding the final few pieces together. It was fantastic to watch the students participate in the creation of the first leg of the sculpture’s journey and we are very excited to see the piece come to life through their recycling efforts in the near future.

“Now the school is launched its appeal for bottle tops to fill the gorilla.”