Category Archive

Banchory Primary 2/3 children were the stars of The Press & Journal in yesterday’s paper.

Under the headings ‘Pupils’ Bags Sell Out Within An Hour’ and ‘Town on a Mission to Become First in North-East to be Free of Plastic Carriers’, the P&J reported how popular the school’s project to encourage the use of reusable bags is in the town. Ruth MacDonald, their teacher and the school’s eco-co-ordinator, said

“Because it came from the children, it’s had a huge impact on people. It’s not just an adult handing out a bag.”

And, when they visited STV’s North Tonight studios and were interviewed, they showed that they had a very good understanding of the effect plastic carrier bags are having on wildlife and the environment.

Yesterday afternoon, another team member and I had been busy conducting a small survey of parents at The Hill of Banchory Primary School as to their views regarding plastic shopping bags. Again, we were met with overwhelming support and, although 25% said that they did not presently own reusable carrier bags, all said that they would be using them in the future.

You can see the STV coverage of the campaign on their website, here.  You’ll need to click on the news for 12 February and the report starts about 3 minutes in, or you can slide the slidebar to the right to get to the report immediately.

Several UP days. Wonderful! And a bit of a ‘down’!

The article in the Press & Journal was followed by a longer article the next day which focused on the ‘wider’ picture and yesterday we featured on the front page of The Deeside Piper, our local paper.

Today the STV cameras caught up with us and interviewed a few traders [including our local Somerfield] and captured me surveying a few shoppers. They conducted a few interviews with shoppers and were trying hard to find someone who was against the campaign but I don’t think they found anyone. Hurrah!

The down.

I have spent the weekend thinking about the Action Plan scheme to sell the bags to local retailers and have decided that it would quickly become an administrative nightmare. I have spoken with all of the team and they agree. Therefore, we have decided that BbC will give away bags to the residents/shoppers of Banchory; just as all the other towns who have undertaken similar schemes have done.

The bags will have BANCHORY on one side and the names of our sponsors on the other [logos get complicated]. I think our sponsors will be happier with this arrangement.

Photographed are Margaret and Alison, two members of the team, surveying shoppers in the High Street this morning. It looks as if our shoppers definitely support the campaign.

This is a photo of myself and Cllr Karen Clark, who is a member of the BbC, being photographed by the Press & Journal in the middle of the High Street in Banchory. It is great to have the support of Cllr. Clark. She adds experience and knowledge to the campaign.

We are getting lots of coverage in the media - both written and visual. The campaign really does seem to be taking off. I have started surveying Banchory shoppers and of the 29 asked 100% have been in favour. A good start.

I was sent this site by a contact today. China will be banning bags in June. Do we really want to be the last to ban bags?