Plastic Free Communities scheme launched in Maidenhead and Windsor

Campaigners are on a mission to turn Maidenhead and Windsor into plastic-free communities.

The movement stems from the marine conservation charity, Surfers Against Sewage, which originally encouraged community groups to rally together to keep their coastlines clean.

But the operation has now been expanded inland with the charity hoping to establish 125 plastic-free communities by 2020.

Royal Borough residents Paul Hinton and Lisa Walden will be spearheading the eco-friendly campaign in Windsor and Maidenhead respectively.

Their aim is to encourage individuals, schools and businesses to take steps to eradicate single-use plastic from their daily lives.

Paul, 61, community lead for Windsor, said: “The Plastic Free Coastlines movement started off with things like beach cleans and encouraging people to walk their local beach and pick up plastic.

“But it’s now grown to an engagement of town and communities inland and the whole thing has just gone crazy.”

Both campaigners have been set a target of getting 30 organisations to gain plastic-free status by stopping the use of three types of single-use plastic.

They also want to enlist a legion of volunteers who can spare a little time each week to help keep both towns clean.

Lisa, community lead for Maidenhead, said: “As individuals we really want people to pledge to reduce their single-use plastic.

“It’s really easy to take coffee cups out of your life just by carrying a reusable cup.

“For people who are passionate about these issues we want you to join the community as part of the challenge to get Maidenhead and Windsor plastic-free.”

Community clean-up events are in the pipeline which could include volunteers keeping the banks of the River Thames plastic-free.

Anyone interested in joining the eco-friendly campaign should email Paul on plasticfreewindsor@gmail.com or Lisa at plasticfreem@icloud.com