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The Real Nappy Project |
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Throwaway nappies are costing
the earth – literally.
For tomorrow’s world and today’s children : it’s
time to rethink
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About the Real Nappy Project |
| Set up as a waste minimisation initiative in 2001, The Real Nappy Project encourages parents, nurseries, clinics and hospitals to use washable nappies and reduce the volume of disposables going into the waste stream. It is run by the Recycling Consortium; an awareness-raising not-for-profit organisation.
The Real Nappy Project works with appropriate groups, organisations and institutions throughout Bristol, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire. It seeks only to inform the public and professionals about the benefits of using real nappies and does not promote the use of any one company’s nappy product.
Right from the start, the Real Nappy Project achieved impressive recognition with the award in 2002 of a national accolade received at the House of Commons. The award, for excellence at working with other agencies, was presented by Paul Burstow, MP, and Catherine McCormack, Head of Midwifery for the Department of Health, to Dr Mo McManus the Project’s Development Officer.
“It has been a wonderful achievement to get this award, especially as we have only been working on the Project for just over a year,” said Dr Mo McManus. “The award is a recognition that all of our hard work to get groups as diverse as community groups, hospitals, local authorities and environmental organisations all working together on this important issue, has really paid off,” she said. |
Events that took place during Real Nappy Week 2008
Monday 21 st April - ‘Nappy Roadshow’ at Kings Chase Shopping Centre, Kingswood |
| Tuesday 22nd April – ‘Nappy fashion Show’ at Armada House, central Bristol |
| Click
here to see a real nappy video made for television by HTV |
| Friday 25 th April - ‘Nappy Roadshow’ at The Mall Galleries in Broadmead, central Bristol |
| Saturday 26 th April - ‘Nappy Roadshow’ at Mothercare, Eastville |
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What the Real Nappy Project Does
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| An outreach team work closely in the
community with health visitors, hospital and district midwives
and other health professionals, and directly with parents.
They give talks and demonstrations in clinics, parent and
baby groups, health centres, leisure centres, city farms,
libraries and other public venues – wherever parents
might be converted to a ‘new’ approach to an age-old
job
- The RNP set up displays and give presentations at public
and professional events and work places
- The project also runs a lending service, so that parents
who wish to try out real nappies can do so without committing
themselves financially
- It distributes information widely and advises Councils
and other nappy projects throughout the UK, and well as
teaching on nursery nurses’ training courses
- Our Real Nappy team can suggest ways of developing community
initiatives, advise on how to give talks and reach a wider
audience, and offer guidance on funding sources
- The team works with other waste minimisation projects,
liases with local authorities and is in regular contact
with local nappy suppliers and laundry services
- Nappy
Incentive for Gloucestershire residents
- Nappy
Incentive for South Gloucestershire residents
- Nappy
Incentive for Bristol residents
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What the Project has Achieved |
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- Through the work of the Real Nappy Project, significantly
more parents are aware of the advantages of washable nappies
and now use them instead of throwaways
- The Project has set up a local supplier in a health clinic,
the antenatal clinic of Bath’s maternity hospital
and in two healthfood shops
- It has worked with 3 local family centres to sell real
nappies at cost-price to low-income families who are recommended
by health visitors
- A series of successful training days has been run for
people who are interested in setting up real nappy networks
in their areas
- Presentations at National Conferences on waste issues
and minimisation have been made by the Development Officer
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Nappy Incentive Scheme |
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Parents and parents-to be have now got
more reasons than ever to take up using washable nappies for
their babies! If you live in Bristol, Gloucestershire or South
Gloucestershire, you can sign up to an incentive scheme which
will entitle you to money off your first purchase of nappies.
Click on these links to download letters with more information
on how to apply.
Bristol
Gloucestershire
South
Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire residents see below for a fantastic
new offer! |
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£90 Worth of Nappies for
only £20! |
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GIFT FROM YOUR COUNCIL may sound unlikely,
but South Gloucestershire’s offer to all families with
new babies really does come at a giveaway price. A special
Starter Pack has been designed for parents in the Council’s
area who want to try real, washable nappies but simply don’t
know what to choose.
What do you get?
The Pack contains everything
you need to give reusable nappies a proper trial at very low
cost. All items are made locally to the highest standards
with premium quality materials, super-absorbent bamboo, microfibre
and hemp, as well as cotton terry. Waterproof wraps are made
from soft, breathable fabric and fasten with adjustable poppers
or Velcro. Modern systems are easy to use and launder, colourful,
stylish, with fashions to suit individuals. It’s all
very different from the past; simply wash at 60 degrees along
with ordinary family laundry.
The Starter Pack includes (contents may vary very slightly):
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3 x bamboo
nappy, small size
2 x wrap nappy (mixed colours)
inc. 1 x hemp pad, 1 x microterry pad
3 x wrap, small
5 x cotton terry sqaures
1 x cloth wipe
roll of liners
laundry net |
PLUS a good quality bucket and lid, included at no extra
cost if the pack is collected from Babeco, Beaconsfiled Road,
St George, Bristol BS5. If you are unable to collect, p&p
costs £6 and the pack will not include a bucket.
All for £20?
Yes, £90 worth of nappies for only £20, when purchased
with the Council’s standard £30 Incentive Voucher
(without Voucher £50). Click here
for Voucher information. It's one of the best bargains to
be found anywhere in the country!
Why?
South Gloucestershire’s Waste Contract Management Officer,
Bruce Kent, is enthusiastic: “We are delighted to introduce
this latest Incentive. Our disposal costs are soaring with
3,000 tonnes of nappies in household waste this year. That
means over £72,000 landfill charges, in addition to
collection costs. The birth rate is rising, and we hope more
families will realise the all-round benefits of alternative
nappies.”
Jean Scott, Outreach Worker for The Real Nappy Project, explains
their aims: “Every baby will need more than 5,000 nappies
in their first 2 ½ years. At present these can represent
half of all household rubbish for families with just one child.
It means that in the UK we send 9 million disposables to landfill
every day – that’s about 3 billion a year; they’re
wrapped in plastic and will take hundreds of years to break
down. Apart from environmental benefits, families can save
at least £600 by choosing reusable nappies for their
first baby; they are ready for the next child, and laundry
costs are just a few pounds a week. We celebrate the Council’s
initiative, no local authority is doing more to promote good
ideas for change.”
For more information email: realnappies@resourcefutures.co.uk |
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The RNP Vision for the Future |
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| Currently about 3% of household waste
is made up of disposable nappies. We aim to reduce this figure
to virtually nothing in our target areas. We aim to help communities
become self sufficient in the buying and laundering of their
own nappies. We wish to develop accessible local outlets and
community nappy laundering services.
For more information on how to use real nappies and where
to buy them from, please
click here
Or contact:
Project Manager: Martin Pearse
Phone: 0117 914 3450
Email: martin.pearse@resourcefutures.co.uk |
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