A LOCAL school is one of three to take home prizes from an art competition run by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK.

Knights Templar Community Church School in Watchet and two Bridgwater schools won the competition which aimed to enhance a SUEZ storage container.

The newly decorated storage container will be used to house collected bikes, which will in turn be donated to Wellington-based charity ‘On Your Bike’.

Schools were invited to take part in the competition working around the themes of reuse and recycling. The winners received book tokens and their artwork has been used as inspiration by artist Sam Gaden.

Sam runs small local business ‘Aerosol Art’ with his partner Anna. Inspired by the children's designs he has developed a new mural that now decorates the large container at the contractor’s Bridgwater depot.

Sam said: “I really enjoyed being part of this project with SUEZ and local schools.

“It was awesome that the artwork was inspired by the local kids’ interpretation of what reuse and recycling means to them.”

The company says the container plays a “vital role” in SUEZ and Somerset Council’s effort to help create a more circular economy in Somerset.

Bicycles collected through the bulky waste collection service will be stored in the newly refreshed container before being donated to local charity On Your Bike where they have a chance of a second life.

Established in Wellington in 2010, On Your Bike works to train and support those who have suffered social exclusion, have physical disabilities and mental health problems, as well as ex-service personnel, ex-offenders, homeless and long-term unemployed.

The charity work with these individuals to refurbish unwanted bicycles – donated or rescued from landfill – which are then sold in shops.

Matthew Canning, contract director at SUEZ said: “This project is a great example of how creativity, community, and sustainability can come together.”