Winner of the MK Litter Poster Competition unveiled

The Parks Trust and Environment and Waste Team at MK Council are delighted to announce that Annabelle Rhodes from Giles Brook Primary School has won their litter poster competition for 2021.

Her design will now be displayed on noticeboards across Milton Keynes to encourage people to keep their green spaces free of litter and take litter home when bins are full.

Annabelle received her certificate and prizes from our new Mayor Councillor Mohammed Khan, who said “We are so lucky to have so much green space in Milton Keynes. It needs protecting and it is great to see so many children wanting to care for the environment.”

Sarah Spicer from the Waste and Recycling Team at MK Council said “The Council and The Parks Trust introduced this competition after an increase in littering last year, and we are really pleased that so many primary schools and children rose to the challenge to try to encourage people to stop littering and take litter home when bins are full.”

Sarah Griffiths, who manages the Outdoor Learning Team at The Parks Trust, added “Sadly, every year animals in our parks die from being caught in litter and we are becoming increasingly aware of how plastic blown into our rivers is entering the sea and breaking down into microplastics. We are hoping this will be a reminder for everyone to stop littering and to recycle when possible.”

As the winner of the competition, Annabelle’s class will now be taking part in a free session with The Parks Trust’s Outdoor Learning team in their local park and have received a box of litter pickers for the school to use.

The Parks Trust and The Council want to say congratulations to all those who took part and to thank them for helping to spread the message about litter. Over 1700 votes were cast and the top ten finalists were as follows;

• Mika J., Whitehouse Primary
• Yukthi P., Loughton Primary
• Daniel O., Brooksward School
• Ellen T. Whitehouse Primary School
• Jacob H., Glastonbury Thorn School
• Chelsy L., St Bernadette’s Primary
• Aarushi O., Brooklands Farm Primary School (Countess Way)
• Penelope L., Shenley Brook End
• Daniel L., Broughton Manor Preparatory School

Both The Environment and Waste Team at the Council and The Parks Trust were impressed by the standard of the entries this year and are hoping to launch the project again in 2022 for more young local artists to take part.

Look out for Annabelle’s poster which will be on noticeboards to coincide with Keep Britain Tidy’s ‘Great British Spring Clean’.