Bum's the word for Real Nappy Week 2006

20/4/2006 - Bum`s the word for the tenth annual Real Nappy Week April 24th - 30th

Parents across Cumbria were encouraged to use real nappies on their babies as part of international Real Nappy Week.

Many parents pooh-pooh real nappies because they think they are messy and difficult to use. But reusables are not to be sniffed at - nowadays real nappies are user friendly, easily washable and better for the environment.

What`s more, using real nappies can save you a packet in the long run - around £500 a year for an average family. Real Nappy Week, now in its tenth year, aims to help the environment by changing attitudes to reusable nappies around the world.

Parents in Britain throw away around three billion disposable nappies a year and getting rid of the them is costing the earth.

They use up space in landfill sites that are already filling up too fast. Collecting and dealing with the hundreds of tonnes of disposables thrown away in Cumbria alone costs council taxpayers here an estimated £600,000 a year.

Real nappies can be re-used time and time again and even passed on to other children, so families who have more than one child using real nappies can save more money and make a significant contribution to the environment.

A number of special road shows were held around the county to give parents the chance to find out more about the benefits of using real nappies.

A free real nappy trial was available to up to 15 applicants at each of the roadshows.

All of Cumbria`s local authorities were involved in the efforts to promote real nappy use in Cumbria at special roadshows at:

Barrow Town Hall, Barrow on Tuesday April 25th.

Old Town Hall, Carlisle, Carlisle City Centre Wednesday, 26th April. This real nappy roadshow had a 70s theme.

Market Square, Penrith Town Centre, on Thursday April 27th.

Kendal Farmers Market, Market Square, Kendal on Friday, April 28th.

Cockermouth Georgian Festival, Bitter Beck Park, Cockermouth on Saturday, April 20, 2006. This real nappy roadshow had a Georgian theme.

Also, staff from Copeland and Allerdale District Councils played one another in a charity football match. Nappy cheerleaders were on the touchlines on Sunday, April 30th, on the Cleator Moor all-weather pitch with a stand at the match to provide real nappy information. Proceeds went go to West Cumberland Hospital baby unit.