Using recycled materials is the perfect opportunity to combine several subjects in one. The skills of developing sculpture techniques, focusing on environmental issues and mathematical problem solving all happens in one project. Materials can included wire, metal, clay, wood, plastic, textiles, plaster, mod roc, paper or cardboard.

So depending on the ideas for the project or workshop a medium can be used to enhance your ideas.

We have close links with Worcester Resource Exchange who collect clean waste from local companies and offer it to various settings to transform into wonderful sculptural items. www.wre.info.co.uk
This is also a great way to cut costs when budgeting for your project, rather than ordering from a catalogue you able to get unusual materials that will spark the imagination and develop creative skills within the young people involved.

Projects have included:
Early years – Developing physical and fine motor skills, problem solving and team work. Offering the children the chance to build structures for role play (boats, cars, shops) working on a large scale, as well as improving communication and language. Tea party cakes and sandwiches, puppets and shadow and light projection Primary – Extending curriculum themes and ideas – such as recycled mini beasts, recycled garments for a fashion show. Story telling creating scene sets and puppets, large scale puppets and creatures.

A village for puppets – the children created a map of the village then decided the puppets needed somewhere to live so they created houses, a hospital, a shop and post office using boxes and recycled materials.

Primary – set boxes – the children created a story and made their characters from paper. They used boxes with an aperture to decorate into the set for their characters before telling their own stories.

Secondary – using sheets of cardboard to create 3D facial structures inspired by Cubism. Layers were created to lift each part of the face before painting and decorating.

Secondary – Inspired by artists, large scale cardboard Picasso faces, Matisse collages and garments made for a recycled fashion show.

Teachers – Creative workshops for teachers, inspiring ways of using recycled materials.

Teachers – using ‘Take One Picture’ as a starting point the teachers involved recreated the characters and scene set using card and fabric as they ere free standing they were able to pose the figures.