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Draft storyAt the depot

A different compartment

Zara learns lorries differ, and to label by material, not colour.

A draft: the words and pictures are waiting for an educator’s review.

Who’s in it

Meet everyone in Gullbrae

The story

At the depot visitor terrace, Malik clips a blank caption tab to a picture of a lorry, with a parked lorry behind the fence.

At the depot, Malik got a picture of a lorry ready to teach with. The real lorry stayed parked and shut behind the fence.

Zara looks puzzled as she compares two pictures of different lorries, with Eddie right beside her.

Zara looked at two lorry pictures. She thought every lorry must carry the same things.

Malik holds a small closed model lorry with two separate sections while Zara points from beside Eddie.

Malik showed them a small model lorry. It had two separate sections, so different materials could be kept apart.

Zara: “Can you show me how that works?”

For grown-ups: In the example used here, from Medway Council (checked 20 October 2026), one side of the lorry takes paper and card and the other side takes the council’s other accepted recycling. This is a simplified teaching example, not how Eddie’s lorry is built and not a rule for Scotland. The model in the picture is closed and its colours do not show which material goes where.

Eddie shows two different lorry photos while Malik and Zara listen.

Eddie showed them two very different lorries. Different rounds can use different vehicles.

Zara adds blank caption tabs beside pictures of paper and card and a glass bottle, with Malik beside her.

Zara labelled her pictures with what they were made of, paper and card or glass, instead of guessing from colours.

For grown-ups: Zara’s picture cards show paper and card, and an empty glass bottle. She labels them with the material names, not by colour.

Malik checks a tablet while Eddie and Zara watch from the visitor shelter.

To finish, Malik checked the council’s own collection instructions.

Malik: “Start with the material. Then read your council’s current instructions. Colour on its own isn’t enough.”

For grown-ups: The tablet in the picture is a prop. Check your own council’s current collection instructions.

Draft, 20 October 2026. The words and pictures are not yet reviewed by an educator. The story follows the outline in our story guide.

The real-life bit

Some councils use lorries that keep materials in separate sections. For example, Medway Council describes a twin-stream lorry with one side for paper and card and the other for its other accepted recycling (checked 20 October 2026). This is a simplified teaching example, not a rule for Scotland, so check your council’s own rules. Gullbrae is made up. Your council’s own rules are the ones to follow.

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