Not only does our Beth Woolley do an amazing job of running the Old Library Cafe, she also heads up Plastic Free Bodmin!
This means that Bodmin has joined a network of communities across the UK who are leading the way to tackle throw away plastic at source. The town has been awarded Plastic Free Community status by marine conservation charity, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), in recognition of the work it has done to start reducing the impact of single-use plastic on the environment.
Beth started the campaign in November 2021, after she struggled to source plastic free items during lockdown. She decided that rather than just complain she should use her frustration to try and make a change locally and was amazed at how many people in Bodmin were interested in environmental issues and wanted to be a part of the journey.
Registering with the SAS Plastic Free Communities movement, Beth 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.
Beth has been delighted by the results she has had with this campaign and describes the overwhelming response from a diverse range of organisations in Bodmin as “ an inspiring community action”. Currently there are over 25 Bodmin based community groups, businesses and organisations signed up as supporters of the project who are also committed to making changes to their own use of disposable plastics in the future. As well as environmental organisations such as the Bodmin Tidy It Team, there are allies from groups supporting young people, such as Miss Elvy’s Curious School of the Wild and all Bodmins primary schools, Bodmin and Callywith College are signed up to the Plastic Free Schools initiative. Local publications, Bodmin Life and Bodmin voice have helped spread the word, and long established local organisations such as The Rotary Club of Bodmin are also on board. Bodmin Town Council passed a resolution supporting the plastic free journey, committing to taking action itself and supporting plastic-free initiatives within the Town. Beth also has support from a number of local businesses that have become ‘Business Champions’ who have made sustained changes to their business to reduce their single use plastic, including Celtic Produce, Oggy Oggy Pasties, and Sustainability Award winning Discovery42.
Plastic Free Bodmin have been promoting the campaign and plastic free alternatives at various local events, including PandaFest and Bodmin Town Council’s monthly market on Mount Folly to raise awareness amongst the community and in a joint project with Bodmin Way is set to reduce the amount of single use plastic at the town’s annual St Piran’s Day parade. In sponsorship with Proper Cornish, each child who participated in this year’s parade was given a reusable drinking bottle rather than a disposable one- featuring a design from the winner of a recent competition for local school age children illustrating the connection and importance of Cornwall and environmental sustainability.
Beth is overjoyed that the town has now been awarded plastic free community status and sees this as just the start of the journey. Beth states that “its not about doing plastic free perfectly, but about many people making small changes for the greater good of the community we live in”, she is keen to continue to work with local groups, schools and businesses to reduce the town’s plastic use even further and develop a more environmentally sustainable approach as a community. Plastic Free Bodmin is only getting bigger and more impactful and welcomes any interested volunteers, groups or businesses to support their goals- please get in touch!
More information:
Beth Woolley, Community Lead, Plastic Free Bodmin: plasticfreebodmin@gmail.com Plastic Free Communities: www.plasticfree.org.uk
Surfers Against Sewage: www.sas.org.uk