Launch notice for 28 March

JOIN SHEILA DILLON FOR THE LAUNCH OF PLASTIC BAG FREE HIGHBURY BARN on Saturday 28 March 2009

“There's so much horror in the world that we're powerless to change. Giving up plastic bags is within everyone's power--it's such an easy political act.” Sheila Dillon, Radio 4’s The Food Programme presenter & Highbury resident


>>FAMOUS LOCAL FOOD REPORTER IS BACKING PLASTIC BAG FREE HIGHBURY BARN

Well-known food journalist and BBC Radio 4 presenter of The Food Programme, Sheila Dillon, is backing a campaign to make Highbury Barn go plastic bag free.

Sheila, who lives and shops in Highbury, will be at the launch of plastic bag free Highbury Barn event on Saturday 28 March, 3.30-5.30pm at Christ Church, Highbury Hill (nearest tube Arsenal. Buses include 4 and 19).

What to expect
“Come and hear Sheila launch the event, watch the free film showing – suitable for families – of Message In The Waves, and enjoy a free cake and cup of tea. There will also be stalls selling books and local craft. There are taster Shiatsu massages (for a small fee) and a chance to knit a handbag out of your unwanted plastic bags. Find out more at http://www.plasticbagfreehighburybarn.org.uk/,” says one of the plastic bag free Highbury Barn group members, Nicola Baird. “Message in the Waves was made by a young Devon film maker, Rebecca Hosking, who went on to inspire her town, Modbury, and more than 100 others across the UK to go plastic bag free – including nearby Newington Green.”

Highbury is great
“I wholeheartedly support all efforts to make Highbury Barn plastic bag free,” says Sheila Dillon. “Highbury is one of the great London neighbourhoods and its shops bring people together. And they're such good shops--no need to go to the supermarket: better deals, better time, better environment, better life all achieved by shopping in your own neighbourhood (just need to wangle a fish shop in there). The shops set standards in so many ways, so let's do it with plastic bags--get rid of them and make shopping in the Barn even less damaging.”

“Plastic bags are unnecessary and ugly--wrapping themselves around trees, hedges, shrubs and fences in our neighbourhood,” adds Sheila Dillon. “Beyond our neighbourhood they do much uglier work: choking animals, fish, amphibians. And even when they're tidied away into landfill they release gases as they decompose that will poison the world for our grandchildren and their descendents. There's so much horror in the world that we're powerless to change. Giving up plastic bags is within everyone's power--it's such an easy political act.”

You support going plastic bag free...
In a recent survey 8 out of 10 Highbury Barn shoppers (81 per cent) support Highbury Barn going plastic bag free. See the full results at http://plasticbagfreehighburybarn.blogspot.com/