Proud sponsors WasteCare Environmental Trust were pleased to be invited to the Grand Opening of St. Paul’s School Urban Woodland. The Hammersmith School is located in one of the most deprived areas of the London Borough.

In 2017, the school was identified as the second most polluted school in London, due to the proximity of the Hammersmith Flyover (which towers above the playground) and Hammersmith Bridge Road. These two highways carry over 100,000 vehicles per day, emitting toxic fumes from exhausts and tyres.

Head Teacher, Claire Fletcher, said the pollution was so bad, pupils could only spend 15 minutes each day in the playground.

Before and After

In partnership with the charity Trees for Cities WasteCare have transformed the outside space into a safe environment for learning and play. Trees for Cities have been monitoring noise pollution and air quality since the planting. Although the Urban Woodland has just been completed, sampling has already shown positive results. Claire Fletcher stated: “You (WasteCare) are part of the legacy and transformation of Hammersmith.

L-R Martin Fortune, David Elliot(Trees4Cities),Claire Fletcher Head Teacher, Rory Field (Trees4Cities) and Rebecca Hunt