Neston High School staff and students have tried to do their bit for the environment for many years now. We have run eco clubs, recycling collections, held assemblies and themed recycling activity weeks, to name but a few. However, it is the work of Pat Link, one of our DT teachers, that is currently our most recent and exciting initiative. Along with one of our support team Colin Cooper, Pat has used open-source instructions from Precious Plastic to create machinery that will propel Neston High School into being at the forefront of recycling for the local area.

Our Shredder, the first machine, will take clean and pre-sorted plastic (HDPE2 or PP5) and shred it into suitable 8mm sizes.

Our Injecting Moulder, the second machine, melts plastic, transforming it into new products.

These can be sold or repurposed for many years to come, giving new life to ‘rubbish’, saving on landfills and in a very small way … saving the planet!

Pat joined Neston High in 2017 and has always been a passionate and enthusiastic advocate for ‘refusing to throw anything away. For Pat, it isn’t just about recycling; he is super keen to bring as many students as possible on the recycling journey, making mistakes, trying new methods and learning vital skills along the way.

Each product made is unique in terms of colour and is exceptionally durable. So far, we have produced some plant pots, spinning tops, coasters, coat hooks, and with more moulds to be purchased, more products will be on the way very soon.

Have a look at the images here that showcase the superb work by Pat and the team. If you would like to get involved, then drop us a line; Pat is always happy to show people the work and explore collaborations with like-minded groups or individuals.