Papillon Promotions were awarded a one-year grant of £5,000 to support a conference and Scottish Nappy Network development promoting the use of reusable nappies instead of disposable nappies. They were awarded a further £4,900 in November 2003, to allow additional work including a newsletter, a nappy information line and development of the idea of the Scottish Nappy Network, leading up to a further conference in March 2004.
The project developed in response to a general interest from nappy networks and other organisations in Scotland to come together and took the example of a conference organised by the Women's Environmental Network in Birmingham in February 2003. The June 2003 conference was a springboard for the development of the project and included workshops to determine the key roles and activities for the Network.
Achievements during 2003
After the conference,the initial Scottish Nappy Network developed including retailers, laundries, real nappy networks, nappy partnerships and council initiatives, public, private and voluntary sector representatives. Action during the year provided resources and information throughoutScotlandto support ongoing projects and initiatives that existed.
SNN was constituted as a grassroots community organisation. It worked alongside developing new projects and networks in the Forth Valley, West Lothian, Moray, Greater Easterhouse, and Fife.
Events attended included the Taking Charge Conference, Inverness, 28 June 2003, Kinneil Countryside Heritage Fair, Falkirk, 14 September 2003, Sustainable Scotland Network Conference Stirling, 23-24 October 2003, the Community Recycling Network Scotland Zero Waste Conference, 5-6 November 2003, Bridge of Allan Waste Fair, 29 November 2003. There were two Newsletters. The Scottish Real Nappy Line was established by Papillon Promotions to provide a 24 hour answering service.
2004 Conference
The second Scottish National Nappy Conference was held on16 March 2004in the Municipal Chambers, Stirling, as a follow-up event to the first conference, to disseminate findings and developments within the project. Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, gave the keynote address. He emphasised the important contribution that the use of real nappies could make to reducing the amount of waste sent to Scotland's landfill sites.
He announced a grant of almost £650,000 over two years to promote the use of real nappies through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). WRAP is a UK initiative which the Executive partially funds to promote market development and waste minimisation work. WRAP will use these resources to provide financial support for the Scottish Nappy Network; market research on nappies; a grant aid programme to support real nappy schemes and businesses; marketing campaigns and various other activities.
Conclusions
The Network assisted recognition at a national level by key agencies and government of the contribution that reusable nappies can bring to national and local strategies, including waste minimisation, waste diversion and prevention targets, cost savings for parents, local and national government, social enterprise, economic growth, sustainable development, social inclusion, job creation and employment, local economic development and neighbourhood renewal initiatives.
It raised awareness of the availability and range of reusable nappies. It influenced the development of the work over 2004-06 which WRAP will undertake.
As the ScottishReal Nappy Network, this grassroots community organisation intended to continue to complement the WRAP work, with a website and helpline.