Urbanistas Cardiff - Expo Meet Up #14

Urbanistas Cardiff Expo #14 June 2017

Did you know that Urbanistas is a worldwide network? Find out more about UrbanistasUK here.

If you are interested in meeting like-minded women, sharing and hearing about innovative ideas that help make people and cities thrive, maybe you want advice and help with a project or idea, or maybe you are simply curious – please come along to our next Urbanistas Cardiff Expo meet-up.

We launched three years ago and have been meeting once a month since, alternating between casual socials and 'Expos', and innovative trips out and about including inspirational TED Talks. The Expo is a chance for people to pitch an idea or project to the group in a safe environment where you can gain valuable feedback. We have heard some exciting projects pitched so far - a speed coaching day; a library of things; and the creation of an online social, learning and commercial space for homeworkers are some examples.

This Expo, we have:

#DŴRDIMPLASTIG § #NOPLASTIC WATER

A Wales-based eXXpedition initiative

We all know plastic is a problem, but did you know that less than a quarter of the billions of plastic bottles sold in the UK every year go to recycling? They end up on our streets as litter, in landfill and in the ocean. Once in the sea they get worn down into microscopic pieces which accumulate contaminants and become toxic bundles too small to see. The fish eat them up with the zooplankton, so they enter the food chain and our bodies. It’s time to stop all that.

Here in Wales we’re good at recycling, in fact the third best in the world according to the OECD figures. We have great beach cleans and recycling bins everywhere but I believe we need to get nearer the source. I am campaigning is to make it easy for people not to use plastic water bottles. I want to see drinking water fountains in cities and towns, and cheap, non-plastic alternative bottles. And I want to see cafes, bars and clubs provide tap water refills for free.

I am working to make this happen in Cardiff and Penarth. I am talking to the local authorities and the city centre Business Improvement District. More than that I want to encourage Urbanistas to take up the challenge. Get yourself a non-plastic bottle. Ask for tap water when you’re out and about. (Any premises with an alcohol licence must give you water, but right now can charge for service.) Support the campaign.

#dŵrdimplastig is associated with the eXXpedition Round Britain 2017 mission. I am part of an all-female crew who are sailing the whole way round the country to collect data about pollution in our coastal waters. Along the way we are stopping, campaigning and raising awareness. Our first port of call is Mermaid Quay in Cardiff, from 10 to 12 August. I hope to formally launch this campaign that weekend, but there’s no need to wait. I hope to persuade you to stop using single use plastic water bottles, to work with cafes and businesses to support us, and encourage city or town councils to step up for this easy win.

The Birth Partner Project

Cardiff is one of the home office dispersal centres and, therefore, a significant number of pregnant women arrive here relatively late in their pregnancy, often with no family or social support network. A small group of women have set up The Birth Partner Project (TBPP) to provide unbiased, non-medical, support during pregnancy, birth, and the first 6 weeks with their baby, for women who would otherwise have no option for this (not limited to asylum seekers). The first volunteer training was completed 20-21 May so TBPP can now expand this support to more women.

Longer term TBPP aims to influence policy, practice and public opinion in support of improved conditions for asylum seeking women during pregnancy.

Jacky would like to present more information about the project and obtain feedback on other people’s experiences with similar projects, for example: advice on best practices for managing and supporting volunteers; recruitment of volunteers from diverse communities; fund raising; recruitment of trustees, relevant organisations we should be networking with and don’t yet know about, etc.

Come along and listen to the projects / ideas and offer help, advice, network connections and encouragement to our two ladies.

We have space for one more speaker so may add to this listing before the event.

Venue

Milk and Sugar, 9-10 Windsor Place, Cardiff CF10 3BX