News
Severn Trent scores a try with Gloucester pupils
16th February 2016
Pupils at Kingsholm Primary School in Gloucester recently learnt the ‘dos and don’ts’ of what to flush down the toilet, and the importance of using water wisely at school and home, thanks to a visit from Severn Trent and special guest, Gloucester and England rugby star, Henry Trinder.
The visit came about after Gloucester was identified as a ‘hotspot area’ for sewer misuse, with teams regularly in the area unblocking the sewers. The customer and community team from Severn Trent thought it would be a good idea to pay a visit to the school to educate the children on what they can and can’t put down the toilet. The team was joined by Henry Trinder, as part of the company’s new partnership with Gloucester Rugby Club.
Severn Trent’s customer and community lead, Grant Mitchell, who worked with the children said: “We went into the school during assembly to talk about the importance of water and how much we use, not only locally but on a global scale. We also spoke to the pupils about how sewage is treated and recycled, and then put back into the river. The children also learnt about the 3 Ps’ - pee, (toilet) paper, and poo, which are the only things that should be put down the toilet, and how items including wet wipes, nappies and cotton buds should be put in the bin and not down the toilet, to prevent pipes from becoming blocked.
“We talked to 500 pupils about how, making small changes like turning off the tap when brushing your teeth can save water. Henry also helped show the youngsters how to reduce their time in the shower to four minutes. He held the shower head over the children while they pretended to shower, and told them about how most rugby players are out of the shower within four minutes, even though they get really dirty. This hopefully will encourage the pupils to think about how long they and their family spend in the shower.”
Miss Stephen, a teacher at Kingsholm Primary School, said: “The messages that the team gave were clear and simple, and having Henry in the assembly really motivated the children to take on board what was being said.”
Grant added: “I think that talking to the pupils really helped them to understand just how much work goes into making sure there’s water there for them when they turn on the tap, and how important it is to only flush the ‘3 Ps’ down the toilet. I think having Henry there helping us to get the message across to the children, worked really well. Blocked sewer pipes can cause sewer flooding; this can have a devastating effect on people’s lives, which is why it’s so important to help educate our next generation to prevent this from happening.”