Banbury area primary school children upcycle old goods for animal rescue fundraiser

Sophie Alcock, Freya Cockle, Dolly King and Alicia Radzinska get ready to sell recycled and upcycled crafts made by pupils and staff at Hornton Primary School.

The pupils at Hornton Primary School have been waging a war on waste in their dual bid to help save the planet and small animals by recycling old items to raise funds for the pet rescue charity Banbury Animal Rescue and Kindness Service (BARKS).

After collecting old mobile phones, cameras, laptops, jewellery, watches, and stamps for a month, the children held a fundraising sale of the recycled goods, alongside special crafts they produced from beads, fabrics, and other materials they had collected.

Headteacher Wendy Whitehouse said: "This is the ideal way to involve the children in kind and sustainable life choices. They’re understanding more about practical recycling and upcycling, while caring for needy animals at the same time.

Pupils Toby Scarsbrook and Freya Cockle with some of the recycling sacks and boxes they have been filling with unwanted old gadgets, stamps and jewellery.

"Working with BARKS volunteers is also a way to extend our involvement in the local community, which is so important to the way we operate."

The pupils at Hornton Primary School raised more than £150 for the animal rescue charity, and the school hopes that further recycling collections later in the year will bring the total to over £250.

Teaching assistant Emma Cockle added: "The children have done a brilliant job, enlisting support from fellow pupils and parents. They’ve invited everyone to donate suitable unwanted junk and old gadgets—things that actually have a value and can be recycled or upcycled rather than left at the back of a drawer or, at worst, disappearing into landfill."

BARKS chair Ann Collins said: "It's wonderful that the children have made such a big effort. They’re helping needy pets get a second chance at happy and healthy lives by learning not to discard valuable items, even when they’re old and broken."