The Bradford Real Nappy Project grew out of Bradford Real Nappy Network when it obtained landfill tax funding via Bradford Environmental Action Trust and became one of the projects of BEAT in May 2003. The aim was to increase the use of real (or washable) nappies in the Bradford and Keighley districts, thereby reducing disposable nappy waste from landfill sites.
Bradford Real Nappy Network was a community group of mums seeking to give other parents the information they needed to make an informed choice about the nappies they used. The project shares the aims of the original group and some founding members are on the project's steering group.
The aim is to reach new parents in the area to raise awareness and promote the case for real nappies; this enables parents to make an informed choice. The Bradford Real Nappy Project also aims to encourage the use of real nappies among health and childcare professionals.
The awareness raising campaign involves attending and giving talks at ante and post-natal classes, parent groups and family events. This is followed up with individual or group advice to help families get started with using real nappies. For events then click the link below.
http://www.beat.org.uk/bm/bradford_real_nappy_project/nappy_events_main/index.shtml
The project is also building on and extending existing support from health and childcare professionals - midwives, health visitors, childcare staff - all of whom have front line access to new parents. Their attitude and up-to-date knowledge about real nappies will have a big impact on parents' decisions as to nappy use.
Bradford District has one of the highest birth rates in the country which amounts to a lot of nappy waste. Real Nappies give parents a great opportunity to save money as they can save up to more than £600 in the average 2 and half years that the baby is in nappies.
There are also chemicals in the plastic and gels in the disposable nappies, which can affect a baby's skin. The environmental impact of the use of disposable nappies is unquestionable. Eight MILLION nappies are thrown away every day in Britain. These nappies take 100's of years to decompose and the sewage component should not enter landfill.
The project has had funding from the Big Lottery CRED Programme, Defra, and Bradford Vision. However this funding has all come to an end. We are now highly reliant on volunteers and nappy sales to continue. The council kit helps to add sustainability to the project by providing some income and a platform for our nappy sales.
Buying nappies from the project will help us to continue our work - so do look at our nappy shop (link below)!
http://www.beat.org.uk/bm/bradford_real_nappy_project/nappy_shop/index.shtml