Plastic bottle Respect 2013

From BBC News 8th July 2013

Fourlanesend School launch plastic bottle boat Respect

A boat made by schoolchildren from hundreds of plastic bottles has been launched in Cornwall.

 

The 5m (16ft) trimaran, built by Fourlanesend School, Cawsand, will be able to carry six children.

 

The primary pupils were helped by local boat builder Andy Fox, who built an 18m (60ft) catamaran which sailed the Pacific in 2010.

 

"It's been fantastic to see the enthusiasm of these kids all getting stuck in," he said.

 

The boat project was part of work being done at the school to teach children about plastic and waste.

 

Head teacher Rebecca Harris said collecting the hundreds of bottles "in a matter of weeks" had helped to reinforce how important recycling was.

 

"Helping to build the boat and being involved in creating something has really made the children understand what it's all about," she told BBC News.

 

The boat, which is made completely from recycled materials, has been named Respect - representing one of the school's values and respect for the environment, Mrs Harris said.

 

All Fourlanesend pupils who can swim were given the chance to sail on Respect, with the first six children chosen randomly when their names were pulled from a hat.

 

Claire Wallerstein, from Rame Peninsula Beach Care, which helped to organised the activity, said a safety boat was on hand and the children wore life jackets.

 

"And these are real life jackets - they're not made from plastic bottles," she added.