Ex-Worfield school pupil Jess Grimsdale returned to her former primary school last week to promote her forthcoming research expedition to Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Circle.
Jess, 24, who graduated from Falmouth’s University School of Art in 2016 and is still based in the town, will be one of an 18-strong team of scientists, photographers, filmmakers and artists embarking on Sail Against Plastic, a 12 -day expedition aboard the tall ship Blue Clipper in June to highlight the issue of micro-plastics in the marine environment. The group’s aim is to ‘make the invisible visible’ and their work will go beyond the publication of academic papers and to the production of a documentary film and a children’s book to be written and illustrated by Jess.
Jess delivered an assembly for Y2 to 6 then led an art workshop with Y6. One of the highlights of her visit was meeting 8-year-old Oliver Winborn, who created a model of a robot named ‘The Tentacled Tidier’ designed to clear up all the plastic waste in our oceans.
“I was thrilled to learn about Oliver’s idea,” says Jess. “These children will inherit this beautiful planet, so it’s vital we engage with them now to help them understand the importance of their role in its conservation.”
Sail Against Plastic are appealing for sponsors to help fund their expedition – you can find them on Facebook.
