West Wight Sports and Community Centre’s Eco Refill scheme is continuing to grow, helping local people make more environmentally conscious choices while raising valuable funds for the Centre.
The volunteer run scheme, based at the Centre Café in Freshwater, offers a growing range of eco friendly household and personal care products, allowing customers to refill their own containers, reduce waste and cut down on single use plastic.
The scheme has now received a fantastic boost from Teemill, the Island based business known for its ethical and environmentally conscious approach to fashion.
Alex Lewis and his team at Teemill have generously sponsored branded Eco Refill T shirts for the entire volunteer team, helping make the volunteers much easier for customers to spot when visiting West Wight Sports and Community Centre.
The new T shirts are already helping to give the scheme a more recognisable presence, while also providing a great opportunity to showcase Eco Refill to more people using the Centre.
Clare Griffin, Manager at West Wight Sports and Community Centre.
“We are incredibly grateful to Alex and everyone at Teemill for supporting Eco Refill in this way,
“The fact that they have provided the T shirts free of charge means that more of the money raised through Eco Refill can go directly towards supporting the ongoing work of the Centre and the local community. It is a brilliant example of local organisations supporting one another.”
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The support is particularly welcome as Eco Refill has already demonstrated the difference a small community initiative can make. Earlier this year, the scheme passed the £1,000 mark in funds raised since its launch, with all profits going directly back into West Wight Sports and Community Centre Charity.
The money raised helps the Centre continue to provide facilities, activities, services and opportunities for local people. Recent funding from Eco Refill is helping support swimming lessons for children from financially struggling households, helping more children across West Wight learn an essential life skill.
And there is now another way for people to know when Eco Refill is open.
A new Eco Refill flag is being displayed in the Moa Place car park whenever the scheme is operating, helping to catch the attention of passers-by and remind local people that they can pop into the Centre Café to refill their bottles.
Eco Refill currently operates every Tuesday and Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00.
Customers can bring along their own clean containers and choose from a range of household and personal care products, including laundry products, washing up liquid, cleaning products, shampoos, conditioners, shower products and other everyday essentials.
By refilling rather than buying a new container each time, customers can help reduce plastic waste, reduce their carbon footprint and buy only the quantity they need.
The scheme is entirely volunteer run and continues to rely on the enthusiasm of local people who give their time to make it happen.
Gina Maliphant, Lead Volunteer for Eco Refill, said:
“We have been really pleased with how the community has embraced Eco Refill,”
“It is great to see people returning with their bottles and making refilling part of their regular shopping. Having the new T shirts and flag will make us much easier to spot, and hopefully encourage even more people to come and see what we are all about.”
With Christmas approaching, the Eco Refill team are also planning something a little different. Keep an eye on the West Wight Sports and Community Centre social media pages for details of a special late night Eco Refill opening in the run up to Christmas.
The Centre is encouraging local residents to give Eco Refill a try, support the volunteer team and help keep the money raised within the West Wight community.
Refill, reduce waste and support your local community, all in one simple step.
