PICTURES: Inspired Helmsdale youngsters ready to take climate action
Pupils at an east Sutherland primary school have been taking positive climate action with the help of Timespan Museum.
Attending a paper conservation session at the museum, children from Helmsdale Primary School were enlightened on the handling and cleaning of delicate documents — including early 20th-century receipts from shops and trades in Helmsdale and old photographs mounted on board.
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This work is essential for the museum as it ensures the archives do not deteriorate while in storage or on display.
Cleaned archives were then displayed with handwritten labels, including the catalogue number, title, and date.
During the session, youngsters discussed the excessive use of paper and how deforestation harms the climate.
In response, they created campaign placards from waste cardboard packaging in the shape of leaves with climate action messages.
They were then placed around the museum and Timespan representatives hope that future visitors “will be inspired to take action to reduce, reuse, and recycle.”
Primary 1-3 pupils also visited the museum’s new wild garden, enjoying the opportunity to water young plants that had been sewn a few weeks earlier.
During their visit, they used their artistic skills to create colourful bees and butterflies to raise awareness about the declining populations and the importance of creating more spaces for wildflowers.
The pictures and messages were placed around the museum and Library Lounge to show visitors that Helmsdale’s youngsters are concerned about the climate and are ready to take action.
A series of climate action podcasts are planned for the autumn. Generations will come together to share climate stories around objects.
The younger generation will ask questions and take control of the airwaves.
These climate action initiatives are part of a new project called RE:COLLECTION.
The project aims to revisit the past, reflect the present, and reclaim the future by combining local and international perspectives to respond to the climate crisis.
The project is supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collection Foundation and the People's Mobile Archive community well-being initiative.
