News
The AGM was held at the Green Fayre. It was a great success and we identified some challenges for the year ahead.
Some of the challenges for the year ahead are:-
Working with the chain stores to encourage them to become plastic bag free
- Continue to raise awareness about the dangers of plastic bags with members of the public
- Work more closely with larger organisations such as the council to encourage them to develop plastic bag free policies
- Recruit more volunteers to support our activities – if you’re interested in reducing plastic bags, come and join us!
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Haverfordwest’s first ever Green Fayre was a roaring success! People came from far and wide to swap produce, juice apples and learn about alternative energy and recycling. Children had their faces painted, played with a samba band and had a go at clay modelling.
Stalls sold jewellery, bags and healthy foods all made from fair trade or recycled material, there was even a dress made from recycled newspaper. The Druidston Hotel very generously donated a weekend in their eco house as the top prize for the raffle. Music played all evening, with the One Voice Choir, Penfro Minstrels and Oak Boat. MP Stephen Crabb and his family were all introduced to the new local currency, the Picton Pound, with which they could buy items at the fayre. The Deputy Mayor, Cllr Christopher Blakemore helped toast the green fayre with Sally Davies and smoothies made from the bicycle powered blender.
Similar events are to be held in 2010, if you are interested please contact Sally or email haverfordestgoingplasticbagfree@yahoo.co.uk.
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By 2011 there will be a tax on plastic bags in Wales! Read about it here
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Have just been sent this link to several reasons why we need to cut back on our reliance on plastic! Find out more here
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Still no treasurer! Please help before the group folds!
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We need a new treasurer and secretary. Can you help? No skills needed except a willingness to come to the meetings (every 6weeks or so) and a knowledge of the basics of Excel for the treasurer.
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425million plastic bags were given out by UK supermarkets in one month, May 2009!! However, this is down from 870million in May 2006! The message is getting out there but we really need to try harder!
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Have your say on the Plastic Bag Charge proposed by the Welsh Assembly. Click me!
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Our new volunteer Jo has contacts in Costa Rica where they are counting turtles and monitoring the number of eggs they can produce! GVI are very supportive of our work and have even mentioned us on their website. Read about us and the turtles on GVI’s blog.
Read about Chuck the hatchling turtle on GVI Costa Rica's blog
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Wow, how much rain was there at the Beer Festival on Monday! A hardy few stayed til the end and helped drink the barrells dry and we managed to recruit a number of drinkers to the Plastic Bag Free cause! Sally had a much better day on Saturday with a few sunny spells. We’re still struggling for volunteers but big thanks to Jo who came along and helped out. She’s a graphic designer so we’re hoping to use her skills to design some info-posters. Jo at Theropod Design.
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Plans are well under way for the Green Fayre on the 19th September. There will be so much going on I’ll probably stay from 10am - 10pm! There will be films, story telling, a cafe, debates, it’s going to be a great event! We are organising this with Transition Haverfordwest for more information on their great work and ideas click me
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Sadly we couldn’t get to the County Show this year, we didn’t have enough volunteers to man the stall. If you’d like to get involved please contact hwestgoingplasticbagfree@yahoo.co.uk
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The banner in the High Street looks really great! Its really eye catching! Hope more people are inspired to reduce their reliance on plastic…
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The banner has been made with the help of Space to Create and Fenton Primary School. It will be hung over the High Street in July. Space to Create.
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We have had a stall at the Farmers Market to promote the re-use of cotton bags.
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Tesco have allowed us to campaign in their foyer, this helped raise awareness and a number of individuals signed up to become plastic bag free by Christmas 2009. If you would like to show your support click on the ’show personal commitment’ button on the right of this page.
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Businesses in Haverfordwest are being visited by our volunteers and asked about their plastic bag policy and if they would be able to support the idea of Haverfordwest Going Plastic Bag Free.
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Haverfordwest Going Plastic Bag Free was launched in Primary Schools. Schools received a workshop developed by Kate Lock from CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve. They then entered into a competition to design cotton bags. Each school had a winner and received 100 bags with their winning design which they could sell to raise more money to make more bags or to invest in other conservation projects. The project was able to go ahead with sponsorship from Chevron Texaco. The overall winning design is being used on cotton bags which can be bought from a number of stores in Haverfordwest. The cost of making the bag has been subsidised by funding from the Pembrokeshire Biodiversity Fund.
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Haverfordwest Improvement Project is fully supportive of Haverfordwest going Plastic Bag Free. Big thanks to Alan for his time and energy.
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Modbury was the first town in the UK to go plastic bag free. Their work has inspired a lot of towns to try to accomplish this. It is no mean feat and we need all the help we can!