Young volunteer leads the way on leisure centre eco drive

A young Leisure Centre volunteer has led the way on cutting the use of disposable cutlery and crockery here.

Scarlett Barrett, age nine, from Thurlstone, was upset to see plastic cutlery being used for parties at the centre after learning at school how single-use plastics are damaging the world we live in.

She highlighted the problem and the centre quickly responded with a new set of re-useable knives, forks and spoons.

Scarlett, who volunteers at skate sessions here at Penistone Leisure Centre said: “I think it is a very important issue and we should try to save as much ocean as possible. Even tiny pieces of plastic are getting into the ocean and fish are dying.

“I think it is fantastic the way the Leisure Centre have taken it on board and tried to help. We want our children and our grandchildren to be able to see a dolphin.”

Now the centre is encouraging all party bookers to use the cutlery and its ceramic plates and bowls instead of disposable ones.

Meanwhile, Scarlett is looking for her next target which she says might be the plastic straws they use at school for milk. But she did add that her school, Thurlstone Primary, where she learned about the dangers of single-use plastics, had already gone some way to helping the environment by ensuring the cartons children get their milk in were made from recyclable plastic.

Gran Jackie Trouesdale, 58, from Lancashire, spends lots of time in Thurlstone with her granddaughter and also helps out at the Leisure Centre.

She said: “I think its absolutely great that she’s picked up on this after being made aware of the issue at school.”