Schools swap to save space

Hundreds of school pupils could be swapping video games for their favourite CDs or going home with gifts for the family without spending any money.

A new swap shop roadshow is set to visit local comprehensive schools giving pupils the chance to swap their unwanted possessions for things they really want.

The new roadshow event has recently been piloted at Bishop Vaughan Comprehensive School. The Council is now hoping to extend the event and take it to a number of comprehensive schools in November during European Week for Waste Reduction.

Trish Flint, Recycling Team Leader in Swansea Council, said, "We are delighted by the excellent response by the children from Bishop Vaughan. Over 600 items were donated for swapping and everyone seemed to go away happy with their new items.

"We hope that the main event to be held in November during European Week for Waste Reduction will be equally successful."

The travelling swap style extravaganza is part of Swansea Council's web based Swap Shop, set up to give residents the opportunity to swap unwanted items instead of simlpy throwing them away.

The original website was set up a couple of years ago and has seen over 4,000 items change hands and potentially be diverted away from landfill sites.

Previous website swaps have included cars, caravans and even a speedboat and a bouncy castle.

Trish added, "It just goes to show that with a little bit of encouragement people can avoid simply throwing things away and obtain something they want in return. Potentially, a lot of the items swapped would just simply be put out with the weekly rubbish and end up in landfill.

"The swap shop has been a great success in diverting some of these items away from landfill.

If you have anything to swap or just want to get rid of something from the house in an environmentally friendly way then check out the website at www.swansea.gov.uk/swapshop