PRIMARY school pupils from across Inverclyde have made puppets crafted from 3D-printed parts made using plastic bottles collected from the River Clyde.
The initiative came as part of the creative environmental-themed workshops at the Watt Institution as part of the UK-wide THE HERDS project, which saw more than 100 P5 children from Inverkip, Moorfoot, and St John’s primary take part.
A number of hands-on activities involved pupils learning about the origins of plastic, its long lifespan, and the environmental challenges it creates. They discovered how local species found in the museum’s collection are affected, including black-headed gulls that ingest plastic in the UK and unknowingly carry it to wetlands in Spain; bottlenose dolphins that mistake marine plastic for food and inhale microplastics; and Norway lobsters that consume microplastics, breaking them into even smaller particles that enter the deep-sea food chain.
Inspired by what they learned, the pupils then built their own puppets using recycled materials and 3D-printed components. Each child also created a personal pledge on actions they will take to protect the planet.
Attended by nearly 400 visitors, the event featured interactive storytelling from Inverclyde Libraries, a live performance by harpist and singer-songwriter Chloe Matharu, and a range of creative and STEM-based activities including puppet-making, face painting, Makedo cardboard construction, and building electronic circuit buggies.
The day concluded with a joyful puppet parade around the museum, led by large-scale puppets crafted from 3D-printed parts made using recycled plastic bottles collected from the River Clyde. Families and pupils proudly joined the procession, carrying their handmade puppets and banners.
The puppets will be included in display of the project in the museum and kept for future engagement projects.
Inverclyde Council convener of education and communities, councillor Jim Clocherty, said, “It has been great to see so many children get involved with THE HERDS project and how it’s sparked their imagination.
“So much of Inverclyde is coastal so it’s important young people here learn about the impact of plastic pollution, and what they can do to help. I’m pleased the final celebration attracted such a large audience and it’s great that the puppets are being kept to educate future visitors to The Watt Institution.”
This project was funded by Art Fund and inspired by THE HERDS, an international public art and climate action project.
THE HERDS will bring together more than one hundred life-sized animal puppets made from recycled materials, travelling from Africa to the Arctic to highlight environmental challenges.
