ENGLAND’S smallest town has been recognised as a plastic-free community after a united effort to combat single-use plastic.

Manningtree has been awarded the plastic free community status by the Marine Conservation Charity and Surfers Against Sewage in recognition of the work completed by residents.

Manningtree resident Bekki Bibko started the campaign in September 2020 after realising how effective the fight against single-use plastic would be if businesses, the council and community groups collaborated.

Ms Bibko pulled together key organisations in the town to implement a five-point plan.

Objectives include setting up a community-led steering group, getting council commitment and working with businesses to spread the word.

She said: “There are some fantastic environmentally conscious businesses in Manningtree, which have made changes like using refillable cleaning products, changing the packaging they use and even using pencils instead of disposable pens.

“In May we held our Local Litter Pick in Manningtree, Mistley and Lawford - over 70 residents helped us to collect a shocking amount of rubbish from around the locality.

“More recently we held a Plastic Free Christmas stall at Manningtree Christmas Market, giving children the opportunity to make decorations and wrapping paper, reusing items that would have otherwise gone in the bin.

“We have had fantastic support from the beginning of the campaign from PACE, Manningtree and the Manningtree and District Business Chamber, as well as In Touch magazine that regularly prints articles about plastic issues and more recently Stour Sailing Club and Stour Choral Society have also taken the Plastic Free Pledge.”

The Surfers Against Sewage plastic-free community network aims to rid our environment of single-use plastic and the five-point plan aims to empower communities to kickstart and build up grassroots action.

Rachel Yates, SAS Plastic Free Communities project manager, said: “We have over 600 communities across the UK working to reduce single-use plastic and the impact it has on our environment.

“Every step those communities and the individuals in them take is a step towards tackling the problem at source, challenging our throwaway culture and encouraging the habit and system changes we need to see.”