Bus designs are just the ticket - as pupils create litter message

Schoolchildren around Skegness were asked to create designs for a double-decker bus.

Winners Elise Kay and Evie Morris, both aged seven, are from Beacon Primary Academy.

They said: “We were really excited when we found out we had won the competition. We felt very proud and happy to see the designs on the bus.”

Stagecoach East Midlands ran the competition in association with Keep Britain Tidy, their charity partner for 2017.

More than 150 pupils entered, so Stagecoach chose two winners instead of one.

Michelle Hargreaves from Stagecoach said: “We were blown away by the amount of entries and the fantastic creations we received from local schools.”

The bus has an aquatic theme on one side and a Union Jack litter-themed design on the other.

Stagecoach were keen for the bus to have a litter theme.

Michelle Hargreaves explains: “With sea littering hitting the headlines recently and the launch of the Ocean Rescue campaign to reduce plastic waste, we were particularly keen to chose a winner with an aquatic theme, by actively engaging with, educating and encouraging the next generation to be involved with caring for their environment.”

The competition marks the return of Skegness Seasiders, a fleet of open-topped buses.

A series of books have been released following the buses which incorporates a litter theme.

Chief executive at Keep Britain Tidy Allison Ogden-Newton said: “We are delighted to see that Stagecoach East Midlands have thrown themselves wholeheartedly behind the Great British Spring Clean and are helping make this our biggest and best clean-up ever.

“By launching a special anti-litter bus in Skegness and publishing a new story book, they’re really helping us show the minority who still think it is ok to drop litter, that there are hundreds of thousands of people out there who do not and are willing to do something about it.”

The bus visited Beacon Primary Academy, where pupils took part in an educational event on board led by spokesman Tim Knippett.

Cheques for £500 were presented to Beacon Primary Academy and Keep Britain Tidy.

Corinna Wright, principal at Beacon Primary Academy, said: “Young people are the change-makers of tomorrow and Elise and Evie’s entries show that they want to be part of the solution for a better future.”