To celebrate the creativity of the Borough’s school children and their vision for a cleaner, greener community, their colourful drawings will be displayed on the side of several of Bexley’s dustcarts from Spring 2027.

The children’s artwork was created when the Dennis To The Rescue dustcart recently visited five of the Boroughs’ primary schools. The five schools that took part were Bedonwell Junior School, St Paul’s, Lime Wood, Crook Log and Orchard Primary Schools.

Each school had an assembly on waste management and recycling services from the Councils Waste & Recycling Engagement Officer who runs the Schools Waste Action Club (SWAC). This was followed by classroom sessions inside Dennis in collaboration with the Councils contractor Countrystyle Recycling. The children were asked to draw what a green neighbourhood means to them and over 250 pictures were drawn celebrating recycling, reducing waste and protecting our local environment for future generations.

Cllr Rags Sandhu, Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Culture and Leisure said:

A huge thank you to all of our young eco warriors who took part in this project. These fantastic drawings showcase the creativity of young people in our community and remind us that every small action helps keep our Borough clean, green and welcoming.

I’m pleased that several of our dustcarts will carry their creative messages across the Borough: let's work together to keep our community clean and green.”

Phil Bovis, Countrystyle Recycling’s Senior Contract Manager based at Bexley said:

It was a real pleasure to be a part of this partnership working with the London Borough of Bexley and the local schools who took part. It was great to meet so many local children and parents in their own school environment. We are looking forward to getting all this great artwork on the side of some of our recycling and refuse collection vehicles. I never cease to be amazed by the enthusiasm of our local children and am encouraged by the further improved recycling we can look forward to".  

Four dustcarts that were due to be refitted will feature the children’s drawings from Spring 2027.

The five primary schools visited by Dennis were selected from the SWAC mailing lists and as demand was so high names were pulled from a hat for the five school visits available in Bexley.

If you are a Bexley primary school and want more information on the School Waste Action Club, email swac@bexley.gov.uk.