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A TWYFORD business is the first in the village to be presented with a new green award.
On Friday last week, Emma’s Kitchen on London Road, received the honour from Gordon Holmes, who runs TRIP (Twyford Rethinks Its Plastic).
The campaign aims to reduce single-use plastic in the village through initiatives such as promoting reusable coffee cups for takeaways, eschewing straws, stirrers and cotton buds, and swapping plastic toothbrushes for bamboo ones.
Businesses are also being asked to join in by making switches away from single-use plastics, especially for goods that would be used by members of the public.
Emma’s Kitchen, which has just celebrated its third birthday, received its Plastic Free Champion award for its efforts.
It now has a wooden plaque on display in the popular tea rooms, showing everyone what it is doing, which includes hosting the monthly FILL – Zero Waste Pop-Up Shop – the next visit is on Saturday.
Running from 10am to 2pm, the shop is run by Fill, a new business that brings quality produce, laundry and beauty products to the shopper. But instead of being individually packaged goods, each of the items are in big tubs.
Customers can then use their own containers to fill up with cereals, pasta, grains, nuts, dried fruits, and chocolate. Also available are washing liquids, shampoos, handwash and more.
Paper bags will be available and a small selection of containers will also be available.
Emma’s Kitchen also encourages customers to avoid takeaway cups by offering a discount. For those that need a takeaway cup, it uses compostable ones.
It has also switched its sachets from plastic to paper to make them easy to recycle, while plastic bottles and straws have been ditched, and food is served in vegware compostable tubs.
Mr Holmes said: “These are significant things and Emma’s Kitchen has been doing this for quite a while.”
Emma Saville, who runs the cafe, said: “We do as much as possible, for example, we’ve always used recyclable cups.
“We hold workshops here, so where people don’t know, we can show them.”
“We’ve always done this, we’ve always recycled – we do this as a matter of course. If we can do it as a business, you can definitely do it.
“If we can separate our waste, you can definitely do it.
“The eco-bit is exciting, it can become a game for the family to play.”
And the village is keen to ensure that residents recycle as much as possible.
“We have to get savvier about what we do,” said Mr Holmes.
He was delighted that Emma’s Kitchen was the first recipient of the award.
“They are very supportive,” he explained. “This is a challenge to them, but Emma is incredible and a good example. We hope she will be the first of many.”
Ms Saville added: “We can work together on it. Getting people talking about going plastic-free is amazing.”
