History

In 1994 Cambridgeshire County Council's Waste Management Team saw the necessity for a new exciting venture to target the need to increase recycling, and to reduce and reuse the ever - increasing mountain of waste.

With these targets looming on the horizon it was important to target school pupils- the decision makers of the future; plus younger pupils are very good at pestering their parents to 'do the right thing' and recycle.

A mobile classroom in the form of a converted library bus was designed and created to take the form of a 'recycling time machine' with the cartoon characters of 'Peter Paper', 'Cindy Core', 'Cherry Can' and 'Bertie Bottle' exploring the history of waste and materials. The 'crew leader' was a teacher on secondment, appointed to be expert in linking activities to the National Curriculum and therefore meet the needs of schools while delivering recycling activities in an inspiring and dynamic way.

The 'classroom' was kitted out with illuminated display boards, on board computers and a brand new hydraulic wheelchair lift. Solar panels and a wind powered generator were added to help demonstrate wider environmental messages although the bus relies mainly on an external electrical supply. The bus engine originally ran on diesel but has recently been converted to LPG.

The original Recycling Bus is now in it's 10th 'mission year' with Nick King the 'crew captain' in his seventh year and enjoying every minute. During the 10 years the Recycling Bus has had in excess of 80,000 pupils and adults through the doors, not to mention the hundreds of thousands who have seen the eccentric bus on the roads, in supermarket car parks and environmental centres and parks.

Due to the enormous success and being over booked with schools, a second bus was commissioned to work alongside with a slightly different mission…