How this Havant nursery has managed to go completely plastic free

Tops Day Nurseries in Stockheath Lane, Havant, has gained accreditation from Surfers Against Sewage, which has credited the establishment as being a Plastic Free School.

Now the UK's first plastic-free nursery, Tops Havant has pledged to remove at least three single-use plastics from the nursery day, organise two '˜trash mobs' each year and teach other nurseries on how to follow suit.

It comes as The News and The Final Straw Solent encourage businesses and other organisations to take steps to eradicate single-use plastics for good.

Nursery manager Barbara Chaitoff says that this is just the first step in teaching toddlers to take care of their environment.

She said: '˜I am so proud of how much hard work everyone has put in to support the nursery in establishing itself as the first nursery to achieve plastic free nursery status through Surfers Against Sewage's Plastic Free Schools programme.

'˜Protecting our environment is something we endorse throughout the Tops Day Nurseries family, and a passion of my own, so to be able to hold the plastic free status is fantastic.

'˜We have already organised a number of beach cleans and activities to educate children on becoming environmentally sustainable, and look forward to making a difference to the world, our world, one toddler step at a time.'

Tops Day Nurseries says it has not only organised beach cleans, banished single-use plastic and tried to find out more about their packaging waste, but also written to Havant MP Alan Mak about the issue of plastic waste.

A spokesman from Surfers Against Sewage said: '˜Tops Havant has been innovative in adapting the programme to their specific situation, as the programme was initially designed for schools, not nurseries.

'˜We hope more nurseries will follow Tops Day Nurseries' lead and take on the Plastic Free challenge.'