Youngsters help end 100 Days campaign

A recycled fashion show and a special version of Dragons' Den helped Manchester youngsters bring this year's 100 Days campaign to a successful end.

The campaign, which aims to make the city a cleaner, greener place to live and is now in its fifth year, was launched in February and ended on Saturday, Friday May 24.

About 130 pupils from Newall Green High in Wythenshawe, Old Moat Primary in Withington, Armitage Primary in Ardwick, Brookburn Community School in Chorlton and North Mancheser High School for Boys in Blackley came to a special event on Friday, May 23, to wrap up this year's campaign.

Teams of youngsters learned about the importance of recycling when they took part in a competition, like the Dragons' Den TV show, in which they created new products from recycled materials, before being given just 10 minutes to present their ideas to a panel.

Pupils also showed off items they had made from old items in a recycled fashion show held in the Great Hall.

The youngsters had been given just two weeks to create a series of stunning outfits, with Newall Green children making clothes based around an 80s theme, and Old Moat pupils creating a selection of hats designed to look like bugs.

Other pupils also made puppets from old newspaper, learned about how to compost kitchen waste at home, found out how to make 'bug hotels' for gardens and back yards to help boost the city's biodiversity.

Councillor Paul Andrews, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: "The 100 Days campaign involves everyone from across the community, and young people are particularly important to its success. They are the future of Manchester and are always keen to pick up on our message about making the city a cleaner, greener place to live.

"This was a brilliant of ending another hugely successful 100 Days campaign. Not only did everyone involved have a great time, but they learned about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling our waste as well as how we can contribute to Manchester's biodiversity."

Manchester City Council launched Challenge Manchester - 100 Days to a cleaner, greener city 2008 on February 14 2008 at Manchester Town Hall.

The campaign ran until 24 May 2008, featuring 100 days of intense activity all over Manchester with the first 50 days focussing on green issues - primarily waste minimisation, recycling and climate change - and the next 50 days focussing on community clean-ups, local environmental improvements and planting schemes.

The council will also be asking residents and businesses about what they want the council to do to help them minimise waste and recycle more.

Challenge Manchester began in 2004 with "Challenge Manchester: 100 Days to a Clean City", and in its fifth successful year the campaign returns to its core aim to "clean up" the city.

More information about Challenge Manchester and how you can participate appears on our website http://www.challengemanchester.co.uk/. You can also e-mail campaigns.team@notes.manchester.gov.uk or telephone 0161 954 9000.

Media contact:

Conrad Astley, tel: 0161 234 4027.