Dorchester has been awarded Plastic Free Communities Status thanks to a group of children from Damers First School in Poundbury.
Plastic Free Dorchester, members of Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, and Damers Eco Crew started the campaign last year after the school achieved plastic-free status and the children wanted to make Dorchester a plastic-free town.
The town is the 67th to be awarded the status in the UK from marine conservation charity, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), the third location in Dorset and the first group of children to lead such a campaign.
The award recognises the work done to start reducing the impact of single-use plastic on the environment.
Edd Moore, teacher and eco-co-ordinator at Damers First School, said: ‘It’s galvinised the community bringing together many different businesses and organisations to help make Dorchester plastic free. A wide variety of different businesses have supported the campaign to remove three single-use plastics within their business and to find alternatives. We have been able to do this by the support of many organisations, including Dorset Council, Dorchester Town Council, Dorchester BID, the Duchy Cornwall, local MP Sir Oliver Letwin, local WI groups, the Dorchester Lions and Litter Free Dorset.’
Plastic Free Dorchester and Damers Eco pulled together key organisations and businesses in the town to put in place a five-point plan. The objectives include; setting up a community led steering group, instigating the SAS Plastic Free Schools education programme, getting local council commitment and working with local businesses, organisations and community groups to spread the word and minimise the amount of disposable plastics they use.
The businesses have tackled eliminating single use plastic in a number of ways. This includes replacing plastic bags with paper ones, using wooden hangers, as well as offering toiletries in tins or paper packaging, supplying loose tea, rather than tea bags and providing guests with reusable, branded water bottles. All stress the importance of putting pressure on their suppliers to make the necessary switch away from plastic.
Edd Moore added: ‘It’s a fantastic achievement for the town. The campaign has been led by the children who want to make the town and the world a better place for the future. They’ve brought together the whole town to work towards the status and to lead it going forward.
‘We are working to get more business on board and have plans to launch a repair café later in the year. We are getting more people wanting to join and share their ideas and it’s going beyond plastic – making Dorchester into an eco hub. And Dorset Council want to make us part of their climate change panel as they undertake a single use plastic audit at council.’
In February the children gave a presentation at the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast meeting about the campaign to eliminate single use plastic within businesses. The children have sold Waxtastic, an alternative to cling film at a number of county shows, farmers markets and fairs. The children also went round to businesses with town mayor and local councillors to persuade businesses to support the campaign.
Rachel Yates, SAS Plastic Free Communities Project Officer, said: ‘It’s great to see the work that Dorchester has done to reduce the availability of avoidable plastics, raise awareness and encourage people to refill and reuse.’