Art competition encourages pupils to think about Arrochar litter issue

West Dunbartonshire’s Knoxland Primary School has won a trip to an aquarium after triumphing in our Marine Litter Art Competition.

As part of our Upstream Battle® campaign, the competition focused on the Arrochar Litter Sink and encouraged pupils to think about how litter dropped in their local area can end up travelling to Arrochar via the Clyde and impacting the community and environment.

Knoxland Primary School, the winning school, scooped the top prize of a trip to the Sea Life Loch Lomond Aquarium in Balloch alongside a certificate celebrating their achievement.

Pupils from primary, early years and ASN schools across 11 authority areas in the Clyde Valley, Ayrshire and Arrochar were invited to take part, with nine schools selected out from over 90 entries to make the exhibition showcase.

The eight other finalists were:

• Garelochhead Primary School, Garelochhead, Argyll and Bute
• Kilcreggan Primary School, Kilcreggan, Argyll and Bute
• Arrochar Primary School, Arrochar, Argyll and Bute
• Mosshead Primary School, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
• Morningside Primary School, Morningside, North Lanarkshire
• West Coats Primary School, Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire
• Burnside Primary School, Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire
• Newfield Primary School, Larkhall, South Lanarkshire

The exhibition was organised by Keep Scotland Beautiful and The Grab Trust, with judging taking place on 11 March at the Three Villages Hall in Arrochar. The judging panel included representatives from HP Inc and Balloch Sea Life Aquarium alongside the two organising charities.

Paul Wallace, our Head of Operations, said: “Congratulations to Knoxland Primary School for taking the top prize, and to all the finalists, well done. It was inspiring to see all your entries which clearly show just how much the younger generation care about our marine environment.”

“The litter issue in Arrochar is one we have known about and been working with our partners to tackle for a number of years now.

“Our Upstream Battle Campaign is aimed at tackling the litter issue at source and exploring ways to step it from reaching our previous waterways but it remains a significant challenge.

“With 80% of marine litter coming from land, it is crucial that we all understand just how far litter dropped can travel, and the devastating impact it can have on coastal communities and wildlife around Scotland. We all need to remember that what is dropped inland can blow, flow or find its way to waterways and travel to the sea.”

Cassia Clark, P7 pupil at Knoxland, said: “We’re delighted to have won, our project was “The Journey of a Crisp Packet” and it was about when someone litters and the impact it has when it goes to Arrochar and joins the big pile of rubbish.”

Mrs Lindsay and Miss Campbell, Knoxland P7 Teachers, said: “We’re so proud of the whole of Primary 7 because every child contributed to our winning entry.”

Kathryn Adam, SEA Life Loch Lomond General Manager, said: “It’s great to be part of such a fantastic initiative raising awareness of keeping our coastline free of litter.  It wonderful to see that so many schools have participated, the standard of entries have been outstanding! We hope Knoxland Primary School enjoy their visit to SEA LIFE Loch Lomond.”

The GRAB Trust’s Jacqui Willis said: “The Grab Trust is incredibly grateful to Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Upstream Battle team for their invaluable role in amplifying this project’s reach. Their expertise has been crucial in connecting the problem of the Arrochar Litter Sink with a wider audience, ensuring that the project message resonates and inspires action in our young people.

“We are delighted with the number of schools that have engaged with the resources and in the quality of the competition entries - which demonstrate the powerful emotions children have when it comes to protecting our environment.”

Ashling Curran, HP Sustainability Specialist, said: “We’re so pleased to support Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Marine Litter Art Competition Exhibition Event as part of their Upstream Battle Campaign. The enthusiasm and creativity from the pupils tackling such an important issue is truly inspiring. A huge well done to everyone who took part—you should all be very proud!"

Our award-winning Upstream Battle® Campaign is funded by The Scottish Government's Marine Fund Scotland and supports action identified in Scotland's Marine Litter Strategy.