A MOTHER is calling on people in north Bristol and beyond to back her campaign to improve air quality in schools.
Ruth Brooker, who lives in Bishopston, says the introduction of air filters in classrooms would reduce levels of illness among children and staff, bringing wider benefits for schools, families and society.
She has set up a not-for-profit company called Clean Air for Kids and is urging residents to write to their local MP and councillors to back the initiative.
Ruth became aware of the problems of indoor air after her younger son, Joshua, was going through cancer treatment.
“I wanted him to attend school safely but chicken pox, strep A, Covid-19 and flu were in high circulation. I consulted with experts and formed Clean Air for Kids after discovering how important it is for everyone, not just kids in school, to breathe clean air,” she said.
“By simply adding an air filter to each classroom and regularly opening windows, we could significantly reduce the number of coughs, colds, and Covid-19 infections that our kids catch at school. It would also increase attendance and improve their concentration.”
Ruth dealt with the problem on a personal level by building air filters for each of the classrooms her children were in at Sefton Park Infant and Junior Schools. These ensure that viruses and particulate matter from pollution are removed from the air.
But she believes investment in suitable equipment could benefit many schools and she has met her MP, the Greens’ Carla Denyer, to push for Bristol to become a leader in providing clean air in classrooms.
“It’s now well understood that air pollution outside can cause problems – but indoor air can be five times as polluted, and this can cause immediate and future health problems,” she says.
Ruth’s initiative has been welcomed by councillors of all the main parties but there remains a stumbling block over how to finance it.
A similar scheme has recently started in London, where the mayor, Sadiq Khan, has already run a pilot to prove it works and is cost-effective.
Ruth’s research shows that it could cost less than £150 million to install air filters in all schools in the UK, while savings of many times that amount could be saved on supply teacher costs and heating bills. Improved attendance rates – currently a major concern for schools in the UK – would be another bonus.
“Installing air filtration is cost-effective. Schools could provide safer air per child per year for the price of a coffee & cake, at around £10 per pupil,” Ruth told the Voice.
“We drink two litres of water and breathe in 11,000 litres of air every day. We all expect to drink clean water and eat healthy food, so why are we neglecting air quality?”
Visit cleanairforkids.co.uk to learn more about action on air pollution and find letter templates in support of the campaign.