Jo Sorrell, owner of independent card retailer, Cardies in Stevenage was feted in The Retas last week, winning the Best Retail Initiative for her inspiring community arts programme. Well, there’s just no stopping the woman. She is now well underway with a new project, which will see Stevenage Old Town making a stand against plastic waste and plastic pollution in our seas, through a series of attractive ‘pictures’, made entirely from plastic bottle tops collected by the shop’s customers and members of the local community.
“I wanted to do something that would raise awareness of the issue of plastic waste, but something that the whole community could be involved in too,” said Jo, who hit upon the idea of the pictures made from bottle tops when she and her husband Andy were out walking their dogs.
“We started picking up the plastic tops that we came across during our dog walks which made me realise how many different colours they come in.”
By spreading the news of the project in the shop, on social media and through local community groups and schools support has snowballed with the result that Cardies is now a major hub for people dropping off their plastic tops.
The idea is to create a series of sea-themed scenes to acknowledge the harm plastic is doing to our seas.
“It is great to get everyone involved from preschool children through to the elderly. While we have already created some wave pictures, the local church group are having a go at creating some puffer fish. I am delighted how it is all coming together. It is a good way of encouraging everyone to get involved while also highlighting a serious issue,” says Jo.
Top: A collage of collected plastic bottle tops.
