Longridge group provides bags of opportunities to go plastic free

A local environmental group took action to reduce the amount of plastic used in their town by making shopping bags from recycled cloth.
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Longridge Environment Group (LEG) believes small changes to lifestyle can help change the world.

It put its ideas into action when LEG mobilised members and other volunteers to make shopping bags, known as morsbags, from recycled materials in order to cut the use of plastic bags in the town.

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The bags were offered free of charge to customers who had forgotten to bring their own shopping bags to the Co-op on Berry Lane in the town.

The launch of the morsbag display at the Co-op. Clare Hyde is pictured first from left.The launch of the morsbag display at the Co-op. Clare Hyde is pictured first from left.
The launch of the morsbag display at the Co-op. Clare Hyde is pictured first from left.

Spokeswoman Clare Hyde said: "Morsbags are made globally as a way of addressing the problem of plastic and plastic bags."

She added volunteers had made 140 of the bags during the lockdown, including recycler and crafter Shirley Abbott from Longton who used up fabric scraps, old bedding and curtains to make 30 bags.

Co-op manager Justin Charnley, who also gave permission for an information display to be put up in the store, said he was pleased to support the project. He said: "When Clare told me it was about trying to make Longridge plastic free I said yes, absolutely... Being part of the Co-op we're an ethical retailer . We do what we can to reduce the amount of plastic."

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LEG spokeswoman Margaret Baugh added: "It started when a few morsbags were made by a member of LEG for the Longridge Co-op to give out free to customers who had forgotten their shopping bag and asked to buy a plastic bag. It proved so popular that the call went out for spare material and more morsbag makers. Members of the community and the Womens Institute in three surrounding villages rose to the challenge and spare fabric was donated by Oh Sew Crafty (Longridge). The project is now spreading to offer morsbags to other shops in the town...LEG (members) are looking forward to seeing all these beautifully made re-usable bags being carried by Longridge shoppers for a very long time so that buying yet another plastic bag becomes a thing of the past."

Sign at the LEG display at the Co-Op on Berry lane, LongridgeSign at the LEG display at the Co-Op on Berry lane, Longridge
Sign at the LEG display at the Co-Op on Berry lane, Longridge

She continued: "The idea was started as a contribution by one of LEG’s plastic reduction team as part of the Plastic Free Longridge project which now includes over 20 local businesses who have reduced single-use plastic and become Plastic Free Champion...The simple message is Reduce and Reuse then Recycle. We know that

recycling is not the whole solution to plastic pollution but being more aware of what can be easily recycled means that existing plastic can be reused so we reduce waste."

For more on LEG see here.

For details of the group's launch see here.

Some of the morsbags created by volunteersSome of the morsbags created by volunteers
Some of the morsbags created by volunteers

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