Water Refill Scheme Officially Launches in Hailsham

A network of water stations is popping up in Hailsham as part of a major campaign to cut reduce plastic water bottle pollution.

The ‘Refill Hailsham’ scheme was officially launched at an event held at Dippy Doodahs in Hailsham High Street on Tuesday [20 August] – an initiative which encourages people to refill existing bottles of water at participating business premises and public outlets rather than buy new plastic bottles.

Local businesses and community groups have joined the Town Council and taken the next step towards helping Hailsham become ‘plastic-free’. There are currently 21 refill stations in Hailsham and surrounding villages which people can now use for free, including:

• Bebble’s Langos (George Street)
• Buckler’s (St Mary’s Walk)
• Callender’s Restaurant (High Street)
• Costa Coffee (High Street)
• Crane & Co Estate Agents (High Street)
• Dippy Doodahs (High Street)
• Frame Works (High Street)
• Gregg’s (Boship Roundabout)
• Hailsham Jewellers (High Street)
• Hot-Dogs Grooming (George Street)
• Portman Smile Clinic (High Street)
• Ribs & Co (George Street)
• Scolfes (Boreham Street)
• Starbucks (Boship Roundabout)
• Tatty Matts (Lansdowne Crescent)
• The Deli (St Mary’s Walk)
• The George Hotel – Wetherspoon’s (George Street)
• The Little Bake Shop (Herstmonceux)
• The Snug (High Street)
• The White Hart (Horsebridge)
• Wealden District Council Offices (Vicarage Lane)

People can also use the ‘Refill App’ on their smartphones, which enables them to locate nearby water stations, not just in Hailsham but around the country. The app can be downloaded via GooglePlay and AppStore.

The Hailsham scheme has been set up by local campaigners including ‘Refill Local Champion for Hailsham’ Chris Jeffery and town councillor Mary Laxton, as a result of the Town Council’s pledge at its meeting held in July, to lend its support to towards a ‘plastic-free’ Hailsham vision and commitment to the removal or replacement of single-use plastics in the local community.

“The Refill Hailsham launch event brought people together to raise awareness of what we can do to cut back on single-use plastics,” said Cllr Laxton. “By pledging our support for Hailsham becoming a plastic-free town, the Town Council plans to lead by example by removing or replacing single-use plastic on our premises and help to promote the campaign and supporting events.”

“Every time we refill a plastic water bottle, we not only save money, but the planet’s resource benefits as well. We must bear in mind that all those individual refills add up and can have a significant impact on the environment.”

“It’s wonderful to see so many local businesses already supporting Refill Hailsham by signing up to provide free refills, and we hope people use these refill stations as much as possible.”

Hailsham Town Council is aiming to become a ‘single-use’ plastic-free council itself and staff at the Council offices in Market Street will gradually be phasing out the use of unrecyclable single-use plastic products at all Council-supported activities and premises.

For more information on the national Refill scheme visit https://refill.org.uk/.