ST PETERS RC SCHOOL RESPONDS TO PHONES 4 AFRICA CAMPAIGN

12.26.25pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 24th Jan 2007

Lorely Burt MP with Bethany Fox (left) and Katie Bates display some of the donated phones.

Pupils from St Peters RC School in Whitefields Road, Solihull were praised for handing over their old mobile phones in support of the Phones4Africa appeal. The phones were received by Solihull MP, Lorely Burt at a school assembly yesterday after the school responded to her challenge to collect old and unwanted mobile phones for Africa.

The appeal was originally made by parliamentarians from all parties in Westminster and supported by Vodafone.

Lorely Burt MP said:

"I was delighted by the generosity shown by pupils from St Peters School and was able to thank them personally for their phones.

"I am sure that other schools in Solihull will be able to collect many more unwanted mobiles for the appeal in this year.

"At least 75% of us own a mobile phone and every hour 1712 mobile phones are upgraded in the UK alone. Despite having a lifespan of 10 years we usually keep them for 18 months on average. Africans do not have the same luxury.

"If all mobile-users in the UK threw their old phones in the bin we'd be land filling £650,000 worth of silver a year, not to mention the toxic chemicals that would leak into the environment."

Anyone who wants to support the Phones4Africa campaign can send their unwanted mobiles free of charge to - FREEPOST Fonebak Vodafone Africa.