Beamish Museum joins campaign against plastic

The Refill campaign aims to reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles by encouraging businesses to become Refill Stations.

Visitors can now top up their bottles with tap water in areas around Beamish after the museum signed up to the campaign.

Rhiannon Hiles, deputy director, said: “Here at Beamish we are really pleased to be part of the Refill campaign. We are committed to reducing plastic waste and actively encourage the use of reusable rather than throw away bottles.

"The campaign is a great initiative and so easy to participate in, you just need to turn on the tap and fill up with clean, great tasting, fresh Northumbrian Water.

“Around the museum we have various Refill points, and we are encouraging everyone to fill up their reusable bottles. If you can’t see where to do this please just ask!”

Beamish is one of more than 500 companies in the region to have signed up and has been added to the free Refill app, which shows users where they can refill for free, and offers rewards when they do.

The campaign, set up by City to Sea, and brought to the North East by Northumbrian Water, was launched in Durham in December 2017.

Northumbrian Water’s Group HR Director, Sarah Salter, said: “As an ethical company, we are really passionate about embedding Refill in our communities across the North East. Refill not only encourages people to drink our clean, clear and great tasting water, it will also help reduce the amount of plastic waste that is generated.”

City to Sea launched Refill Bristol in September 2015 and there are now over 10,000 Refill Stations around the UK.

The not for profit organisation won gold for Best Environmental Behaviour Change at the Global Good Awards for the Refill campaign.

To find out more about Refill, or to download the app, visit www.refill.org.uk.