News

14th July 2006

Cornish Environmental Project Wins National Award

The Cornish Real Nappy Project, competing with 50 other Real Nappy Campaigns, has been voted best large campaign and overall winner in the national Women’s Environmental Network Real Nappy Week Awards.

The Real Nappy Week awards, supported by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), recognise, reward and publicise the best campaigns run during Real Nappy Week in April. This year’s campaign saw displays, fashion shows and media activities in Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Mexico and New Zealand as well as the whole of the UK.

Cornwall’s Real Nappy Project was launched in 2002 and has since received extensive funding from the Community Recycling and Economic Development Programme (CRED). The funding provided from CRED has allowed the project to launch the Get Real and Nappies Now initiatives which help promote the use of washable nappies in innovative ways across the whole county.

The Cornish Real Nappy Project was selected as overall winner for its innovative range of activities covering a wide geographic area. The project hosted a real nappy conference at Bedruthan Steps Hotel, including a key note speech from Radio 2 presenter Janey Lee Grace who also broadcast live on Radio Cornwall from the conference. Other activities included the presentation of a real nappy starter kit to the first baby born during the week at Penrice Birthing Unit; the launch of a nappy trial kit scheme with accommodation providers on the Isles of Scilly; ‘nappiccino’ coffee mornings and a ‘bear bottoms’ competition held at Newquay Zoo.

“The Cornish Real Nappy Project’s campaign was highly professional. They provided a range of fun opportunities to find out about real nappies as well as ongoing partnerships for further work,” said award judge, Chandra Littlewood of WEN

A record 905 supporters signed up to back Real Nappy Week, including over 90 percent of all UK local authorities and 155 MPs, MSPs, MEPs and Welsh AMs. With some eight million nappies thrown away every day in the UK, authorities actively promote real nappy use to cut waste and as a cost-saving option for families

“We are all thrilled to have won this prestigious award and are delighted that the team’s hard work over the last six years has been recognised nationally,” said Rebecca Thomas Project Manager. “We were particularly delighted to be able to launch exciting new aspects of the campaign here in Cornwall during Real Nappy Week”.

The Cornish Real Nappy Project (CRNP) aims to decrease the amount of disposable nappies being sent to landfill by encouraging Cornish Mums and Dads to switch to washable nappies, parents can also take advantage of the Real Nappy Trial Kits from the project to see just how far real nappies have come in the last decade. No longer just an eco and economic option, real nappies are now a fashionable lifestyle choice.

Dan Rogerson, Liberal MP for North Cornwall, and supporter of the project sent the team the following message:
“My warmest congratulations to the CRNP team for their well deserved recognition of all their efforts and tremendous work in reaching out and covering the whole of Cornwall to deliver their message that there is a genuine and environmentally sound alternative to disposable nappies.”

The CRNP team is running Nappicinos throughout the county as well as being present at all the major Cornish events and shows throughout the summer. Nappicinos are essentially nappy focused coffee mornings that provide an opportunity for parents and carers to access the information and support that the Cornish Real Nappy Project can provide and also realise the benefits, both financial and environmental of using real cloth nappies.
To find out where your nearest Nappicino is telephone Freephone 0800 328 8175 or visit the website www.crnp.og.uk