A FLINTSHIRE high school student is campaigning to help elephants globally.

Lauren Conway - Year 11 student at the Elfed High in Buckley - started the scheme that sees empty crisp packets collected and recycled in return for money, to help in research of the deadly Elephant Endothelioropic Herpes Virus (EEHV).

The scheme is running with with Chester Zoo, which lost two baby elephants to the virus in October 2018, and Walkers - which has agreed to donate to Chester Zoo's 'Never Forget' campaign, which is working to find a solution to the disease, in exchange for empty crisp packets.

There are a number of specially coloured red bins around the school which students can deposit their empty packets in.

The Elfed was visited by Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Government minister for environment, energy and rural affairs, for the launch of the project, along with deputy leader of Flintshire Council, Cllr Carolyn Thomas, and Kim Brookes of Flintshire Council's education department.

The Leader:

Lauren Conway said: "It was wonderful to see the minister taking such a personal interest in a project so close to my heart.

"Plastic pollution is something we all learn about at school, but we as young people very rarely get the opportunity to actually do something about it.

"That's why I grabbed this opportunity with both hands. Elephants are wonderful, majestic creatures, and to see their species' survival put into jeopardy by such a painful and terrible disease is truly heartbreaking.

"I love that the recycling project which helps alleviate both the plastic problem and the threat to elephants' survival will be my legacy to my school. Hopefully, it will catch on and spread throughout Flintshire. "Together, we can make a difference, be a much needed force for change."

The Leader: