Real nappy fashion show a great success

Herefordshire County Council is reminding parents and parents-to-be that they can find out why the first year of the Real Nappy Incentive Scheme has been such a success at special events being held nearby.

The year has already been celebrated at a special fashion show at Worcester Guildhall on Wednesday, March 19 when more than 200 parents, guardians and parents-to-be saw the most up-to-date range of fun and fashionable real nappies - as modelled by local babies and children.

Cathy Hines, waste prevention team project assistant, said: "We were slightly taken aback by how many people turned up to the day and the show definitely had standing room only! The fantastic response to the event shows how people view real nappies as a real alternative, which in turn will make a real difference to the environment."

The Real Nappy Incentive Scheme gives parents, guardians and parents-to-be the opportunity to either receive £30 cashback when they purchase £50 worth or more of real nappies (excluding accessories) or they can claim a free pack of pre-fold nappies worth around £15 from Green Nappies, a social enterprise working with adults from disadvantaged groups.

To take part in the on-going cash back scheme or claim a free pack of Green Nappies, people must be a Herefordshire or Worcestershire resident, return a signed Real Nappy Incentive Scheme application form to Green Nappies, supply a copy of MATB 1 form or child's birth certificate, provide a copy of receipt(s) for £50 worth, or more, of real nappies, be happy for their contact details to be passed on to Green Nappies for the sole purpose of them contacting them to take part in a real nappy feedback survey and only take advantage of one scheme per baby.

Each child can use up to 6,000 disposable nappies in their lifetime and eight million disposable nappies are thrown away every day in the UK. More than 90 per cent of disposable nappies are disposed of in landfill and may take up hundreds of years to decompose. The average spend on disposable nappies can be as much as £922.74 per child before they reach the age of three. Real nappies can be used again and again and on parents' next child.

Free Nappaccino mornings are held regularly at Hereford's Courtyard Theatre on the third Monday of the month.

Forthcoming ones for this year are on April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17 and December 15, all between 10am and noon.

Nappaccino mornings allow parents, guardians and parents-to-be the chance to see the benefits of real nappies while enjoying a free cup of coffee. There is a wide range of styles on display and a nappy consultant on hand to answer questions and offer advice.

The council is responsible for getting rid of all the disposable nappies thrown out by Herefordshire parents. Not only do these nappies take decades to break down after they've been taken to landfill, it is also increasingly costly for the council to pay for such disposal, a cost that's passed on to the council taxpayer.

Further information on the Real Nappy Incentive Scheme, Nappaccino Mornings and Evenings is available at http://www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk/ or by calling call 01905 766883.