By Isle of Wight Observer
Freshwater Parish Council has designed a bag for beach weather, featuring an iconic view of Freshwater Bay.
Intended to reduce the number of single-use plastics which end up on local beaches and wash out to sea, the organic cotton bag in Freshwater’s official shade of blue was printed at the Rapanui factory in the village.
£1 from the sale of each bag will go towards funding public water bottle refill points at Moa Place in the village centre and Gate Lane at Freshwater Bay. Parish councillor Daniel James commented: “New drinking water taps could compliment those local businesses which already refill your water bottles for free. It’s the aim of the Paris Council’s ‘Plastic-Free Freshwater’ campaign to reduce both plastic bag use and the number of bottles being used once and thrown away.
“After all, our parish was named after the sweetness of our drinking water. There’s absolutely no need to ship plain water hundreds of miles in disposable bottles, and despite rising awareness too many bags and bottles are still ending up in the oceans.”
The beach bags are on sale now at £4.99 from local independent shops including JCB Imaging, Artframes, West Wight Angling, Pet Lifeline, Coastal Mobility, P.J. Thorne Butchers, The Village Bakery, Allsorts, The Freshwater Coffee House, Elliott’s Newsagent, Rutherford Eyecare and Whistle & Hound, as well as West Wight Sports & Community Centre and Freshwater Library.
In Freshwater Bay the bags are available from Orchard Brothers, The Piano Cafe, Dimbola Museum & Galleries, and the Freshwater Independent Lifeboat shop on the beach.
Isle of Wight Observer