News

11th October 2006

Award Winning Nappy Project Provides Support to Healthcare Professionals

The Cornish Real Nappy Project, which has recently been recognised nationally by WEN (Women’s Environmental Network) as the best overall nappy project, is extending its work throughout Cornwall by providing resources and support to healthcare professionals.

A specially designed toolkit will be distributed to every GP surgery and all midwives in the county to help them give informed advice to parents considering using washable nappies.

Choosing washable nappies over disposables not only has obvious environmental benefits but can also save families up to £500 for the first child in washable nappies and more if they are used on subsequent children. The potential financial saving is important in Cornwall where 5 out of 6 districts are ranked within the top 10 deprived areas in the south west.

The Nappies Now healthcare toolkit consists of a washable nappy sample, promotional posters, information on different types of nappies, where to buy them and how to use them as well as a new informative DVD narrated by BBC Radio Two’s Janey Lee Grace who is becoming well known for her environmental and natural lifestyle choices. Bec Thomas, Project Manager and mother of two said:
“We are so pleased to be able to support healthcare professionals by providing up to date information on washable nappies and very much hope that the toolkits will allow more parents to make an informed nappy choice and feel supported in the decision they make.”

The project team are particularly pleased with the new DVD which has been designed for midwives to show at ante-natal classes or loan out to interested parents, Bec Thomas commented:  “The DVD will allow healthcare professionals to present information on washable nappies in a relaxed and easy to understand manner; we also aim to make the DVD available to parents through public libraries.”

The messages promoted through the toolkits will also be supplemented by training courses in Cornish colleges for students studying childcare or midwifery. The Cornish Real Nappy Project will be delivering these courses over the next 12 months and hope to see the subject adopted as part of the regular syllabus for childcare modules.

For more information on any of the project’s activities or to register interest in volunteering for the project, please contact Becky on 0800 328 8175.