'Big Green Beast' and other new refuse trucks visit schools of competition winners

GYS is responsible for a number of services the council provides, including refuse collection and recycling, street cleaning, public toilet cleaning and maintenance, buildings cleaning, grounds maintenance services, vehicle maintenance, arboriculture, leisure, burial services and pest control.

GYS is wholly owned by the council and staff have transferred from the previous business into the new company which was created after the council took a decision in December 2021 not to renew its existing arrangements with Norse.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council's latest competition invited primary school children to submit their creative and inspiring names for the new trucks. The winning school students, selected by the Mayor of Great Yarmouth, had the opportunity to host one of the impressive new GYS refuse trucks at their school, giving the competition winners and their classmates a first-hand look at the impressive new vehicles.

The visits celebrated the children's winning artwork, as well as providing an opportunity for the pupils to experience "a day in the life of a refuse worker", which included letting them inside the trucks, sitting in the seats and a demonstration of how to operate the bin lifts.

Some of the council's Environmental Rangers also attended the visits to discuss the importance of recycling and what the children can do to help.

The winner of the panel design for the vehicle was Leo Fish, aged nine, from Moorlands Primary Academy School in Bradwell. His name 'The Big Green Beast' was also chosen as the name for the truck.

The other winners whose names appear on trucks are:

• Ela Cinar, aged 11, of Great Yarmouth Charter Academy School, with the name Bertie the Bin Truck   
• Naomi Soares-Goodwyn, aged eight, of xxx School, with the name Eco Eva 
• Nancy O'Leary, aged 11, of Bread Kitchen School, with the name Dusty Pan 
• Sally Longworth, aged nine, of Southtown Primary School,  with the name Recycling Robin

Councillor Paul Wells, Portfolio Holder for the Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: "We believe that educating the younger generation about responsible waste management is vital for the future of our environment.

"By bringing our new refuse trucks directly to the schools of the competition winners, we hope to inspire and engage students in the importance of recycling and waste reduction."