Parents Urged to Save Money with Real Nappies

The promotional week co-ordinated by Go Real, formerly the National Real Nappy Campaign, will this year be concentrating on how parents can save money by using Real Nappies.

The Council will be holding events throughout the week to highlight the advantages of real nappies, both in terms of cost and benefit to the environment.

Bec Thomas from Go Real commented: "Parents could save £1000 by choosing real nappies over leading disposable brands and there are further savings to be made when nappies are passed down and used again."

With the country officially in the first recession since 1991 and with 600,000 job losses predicted for 2009, parents from all walks of life are looking for easy ways to save money.

As well as the obvious financial gains of using real nappies, parents are increasingly attracted by the environmental benefits. On the Island, disposable nappies contribute around 11% of the kerbside collected household waste sent to landfill and the council is keen to promote schemes that divert waste away from landfill.

A recent government study comparing real nappies with disposables, found that if used correctly real nappies can be up to 40% better for the environment.

Laura Kay, waste minimisation officer at the Isle of Wight Council said: "We hope the week will highlight the financial and environmental benefits of using real nappies. Disposable nappies make up a significant proportion of landfill waste on the Island and we are keen to promote alternatives that would reduce this amount."

During Real Nappy Week, the Isle of Wight Council in partnership with the Isle of Wight Real Nappy Network is running a bear bottoms trail at Isle of Wight Zoo from Monday 27th – Friday 1st, giving a £10 nappy voucher to every baby born during the week, and hosting a real nappy roadshow in St James Square in Newport on Wednesday 29th. This will be a great opportunity for parents to see real nappies, ask our expert and talk to parents with first hand experience of using washable nappies and enter the change a nappy challenge to find the fastest nappy changer on the Island.

You could also win a complete set of real nappies by answering what you would spend your £1000 saving on at www.goreal.org.uk.