RECAP Events
09/03/2007 - Oh baby - those nappy days are back!
Nappy days are here again as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough welcome the 11th campaign to promote the benefits of real nappies.
Countywide roadshows and events will let parents get to the bottom of the subject.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Councils (RECAP) are working with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Real Nappy Network (CPRNN) and the Fenland Community Laundry Service (FCLS) to take this campaign to the heart of local communities.
International Real Nappy Week (March 10th to 17th) aims to encourage parents to use washable nappies and help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill through the use of disposables. This campaign is now celebrated worldwide, reaching as far as New Zeland to the East and Mexico to West.
Closer to home, the Nappy Network will be visiting a series of venues around the county with a main participation in the ‘Bonkers about Babies show’ on Sunday 11th March at the East of England Showground in Peterborough. Parents who use real nappies will be on hand to give their advice, as well as representatives of the council to answer all your rubbish questions. Examples of nappies will also be available to examine, a practical demonstration and a baby fashion show to wrap up the event.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Councils have been successful in encouraging the use of washable cloth nappies through a free-trial scheme, which gives parents the chance to see which nappy out of a wide and modern range suits best their baby. More than 1,160 kits have been requested since the scheme started in 2003.
However, disposable nappies are still a popular choice amongst parents in Cambridgeshire with the associated mountains of rubbish and their disposal costs. It is estimated that last year, Cambridgeshire County Council spent £182,000 on disposing nappies into landfill.
During International Real Nappy Week, representatives from the Network will visit:
Saturday 10th _ Ramsey Community Information Centre, 10am-1pm
Sunday 11th _ Bonkers About Babies Show – East of England Showground, 10am-5pm
Monday 12th _ Maple Centre Community Café, Huntingdon, 10am-3pm
Tuesday 13th _ Teddy Bears’ Picnic, Oasis Centre, Wisbech, 1-3pm
SureStart New Parents Group, Cambridge, 1-2pm
Wednesday 14th _ Grafton Centre, Cambridge, 9am-5.30pm
Thursday 15th _ Ely Library, Ely, 10am-4pm
Friday 16th _ Teddy Bears’ Picnic, March Community Centre, 10am-12pm
Baby and Me, Cambourne, 10-11am
Saturday 17th _ Kiddicare, Peterborough 10am-4pm
Cambridgeshire County Council Waste Campaigns Officer, Victor Perez said: “We are delighted to support the Real Nappy Network in spreading the word about cotton nappies. It is estimated that every child uses around 5,850 nappies in their lifetime, which is the same weight as an average family car. Using real nappies is an amazing way to cut down on waste but also to save some money. Research suggests that parents can save as much as £740 by choosing cloth nappies over disposables.”
Helen Coupe, Project Worker for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Real Nappy Network said: “Modern cotton nappies are nothing like the old terry nappies people may be used to, there is a vast range available and most have re-sealable fastenings to make them easy to use. For busy parents there is the option of Nappy Laundering Services – these companies will take away used nappies and return a pile of clean nappies to parents.”
For more information phone the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Real Nappy Network on 0845 644 3045 or the Fenland Community Laundry Service on 01354 661 545.
Provided by Cambridgeshire County Council
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