Sowden Wallis is named Stamford’s latest Plastic Free champion

Local estate agent, Sowden Wallis has become Stamford’s latest Plastic Free champion, thanks to its commitment to reduce single use plastic in the office. It is the first out of the five plastic free businesses not in the hospitality and catering sector.

The team at Sowden Wallis were given the status for their imaginative approach to reducing plastic. They have given reusable coffee cups and lunch boxes to each member of staff, they switched to a toilet paper supplier which uses no plastic packaging and they use the cleaning refill service at Silver Lane Health Food shop.

The plastic free movement fits well with the company’s ethos. Emma Sowden, director at Sowden Wallis, said “I have, over the last couple of years, been quite concerned with waste so have been quite keen about recycling. It just started to really annoy me how much wast was being thrown away.”

Aled Pattinson, co-ordinator for Plastic Free Stamford, commented that “It’s fantastic to have Sowden Wallis as a Plastic Free Champion. A business you wouldn’t normally associate with single-use plastics, it goes to show any and every business can make a difference. Emma and her team have been really creative on ways they can make their business more sustainable and cut avoidable single-use plastics and paper. They also have a collection for crisp packets to be recycled.”

Stamford needs a total of 12 businesses to commit to cutting down their plastic use so that it can meet part of the criteria to become a plastic free community. We’re almost halfway there.

If you’re interested in getting involved, please email us at plasticfreestamford@gmail.com

Plastic Free Stamford calls for proper disposal of face masks

Co-ordinator of Plastic Free Stamford, Aled Pattinson, is urging people to dispose of their face masks correctly while out and about.

In an interview with the Stamford Mercury, Aled highlights the growing number of used masks and gloves littering the street. With many people not wanting to leave the house without these item to hand, he asks people using single use face masks and gloves, which cannot currently be recycled, to put them in the bin when they’re finished with them. You can read the full article here:

https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/dispose-of-your-face-coverings-properly-9117345/

Cakes + Co joins plastic free movement

Cakes + Co joins the growing number of Stamford businesses making a commitment to reduce single use plastic. The Stamford Walk cafe and cake shop has just been named as the town’s latest Plastic Free champion.

Jade Gomila, co-owner of Cakes and Co, told the Stamford Mercury: “It’s fantastic; it’s obviously a big ethos of ours. Since getting the business last year we’ve been as sustainable as possible.”

Roses are red….Valentine’s Day run goes green

The St Valentine’s 30k road race, organised by Stamford Striders Running Club, is embracing green initiatives to support the Plastic Free Stamford campaign.

Taking place on 16th February, the race is aiming to be kinder of the environment and will fulfil specific criteria to help Stamford’s bid to become a plastic free community.

The organisers have taken the decision to rid the event of carrier bags to hold ‘goodies’ for race finishers and of plastic cups at the water stations.

In addition, the running shirts given to competitors will be made from recycled bottles, and they are being printed in a way that prevents particles of plastic ‘leaking’ into the eco system through washing machines.

The race medals will also be produced without any paint in the design.

Race director Mark Alderson said: “As a club, we have put a lot of time and effort into finding initiatives that will make our race as environmentally friendly as possible.

“Some ‘greener’ products cost more, but we believe in looking after the environment and the principles of a growing number of runners, so we’ve taken the view that if going greener costs a bit more, then so be it.”

All waste from the 30k event will be taken away for recycling.  

The race, which attracts up to 750 competitors, is one of the most popular running events in the region, with the 2020 event having sold out within a few hours of opening to entries.

The Yard soft play is Stamford’s third plastic free champion

Entertaining children and being plastic free are not two things that often go together, but the Yard soft play has shown how it really is possible.

The team at the Yard has replaced plastic straws with paper ones, plastic spoons with wood alternatives and little plastic post with ones made of cornstarch. Party bags without balloons and bubble wands are also in the pipeline.

Jo Henchy, who co-owns the Yard with Aimee Swift, told the Stamford Mercury:

“We’re really pleased to be involved in this campaign. We’ve been trying our best as a business to reduce our plastic waste over the last few years anyway but the Plastic Free Stamford campaign has encouraged us to do a bit more.”

“Being a business where we get a lot of families and children, it’s also about being a good role model.”

Cafe Black is first cafe to be named a plastic free champion

Cafe Black on the High Street has become Stamford’s latest plastic free champion and is the first local cafe to get behind our plastic free campaign.

The cafe has replaced plastic stirrers with sustainable wooden alternatives, swapped plastic straws for paper straws and moved to cardboard takeaway boxes and paper bags, amongst other things.

Melody Ismail, who owns the cafe with her husband Izzy, told the Stamford Mercury:

“I think it’s really important we try and cut down the amount we throw away and recycle as much as possible. It’s quite costly for us be we took the decision to recycle more and to move to plastic alternatives because we feel it’s worth it.”

“Sometimes it’s difficult to avoid using single-use plastic, like items that come from the supermarket for example, but if everyone can do their bit it will make a difference. I just think it would be great if Stamford can get behind the plastic free campaign.”

St George’s school gets behind plastic free campaign

St George’s Church of England school on Kesteven Road is leading the way amongst local schools and become the first school to sign up to our plastic free campaign.

The school now have an action group to made up of Year 6 pupils who are planning ways to make a difference in the school, including setting up a ‘Trash Mob’ to collect plastic waste. They will also write to their MP after the General Election.

Pub becomes Stamford’s first plastic free champion

The Lord Burghley has become the first business to be named a Plastic Free Champion after removing at least three single use items from the pub. This is the first major step in the town’s bid to become a plastic free community.

In the Stamford Mercury, barmaid Amber Shepherd, who is from Stamford, said:

“It’s good to be named as Stamford’s first plastic free champion and quite an accomplishment. We just wanted to do it and hope others will follow and take notice and start taking more action towards reducing plastic waste.”

Welcome

Welcome to Plastic Free Stamford. We’re on a mission to reduce plastic waste in our town.

If you’re a local business, school or organisation, why not get involved? There are lots of really simple things you can do to become a plastic free champion and help Stamford achieve our Plastic Free Community status.

Just drop us a line and we can share lots of ideas with you!

plasticfreestamford@gmail.com