Local artists support campaign to reduce ocean plastic waste

Local artists are supporting the campaign to reduce plastic waste in oceans.

The initiative, called Oceans of Plastic, will be supported by the Eden Shopping Centre and local artists on the weekend of November 15 and 16.

The artists will be personalising reusable coffee cups for the event.

The Eden Shopping Centre will have a dedicated recycling bin for the weekend.

Those who want to claim a personalised coffee cup designed by the artists must put a piece of plastic in the recycling bin.

The artists will then be on hand to personalise the reusable cups.

These can be claimed at the pop-up located on White Hart Street by the Guildhall doors, 12pm to 5pm on Saturday, and outside Black Sheep Coffee, 12pm to 4pm on Sunday.

The artists will personalise the coffee cups, which will be available while stocks last, in five minutes or less.

The artists getting involved include Kat from ChicSign.Studio, Jenny Tang, Lynne from Art with Lynne and Laurie Christie Creates.

Kat will be personalising cups between 12pm and 3pm on Saturday.

She said: “My work draws on the rich visual language of Victoriana signage, circus and funfair lettering and folk art.

“For the Oceans of Plastic weekend, I’ll be personalising recyclable cups with people’s names and short hand-lettered messages.

“It’s a fun, interactive way to spark creativity and conversation about sustainability — turning something disposable into a small keepsake.”

Meanwhile, Jenny Tang will be personalising cups from 3pm to 5pm on Saturday.

She said: “I hope that by receiving a reusable coffee cup, customers will use them as much as they can in lieu of single use plastics.

“It may seem like a small thing, but if everyone considers how their habits affect the world around them, it would make an impact.”

Lynne from Art with Lynne will be personalising cups between 12pm and 2pm on Sunday.

She said: “I’ll be armed with pens and ready to draw custom, freehand designs onto reusable coffee cups for the public to create something unique and personal – a cup you’ll want to keep and use forever.”

Finally, Laurie Christie Creates will be personalising cups from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday.

She said: “As an artist it is getting more difficult to create things without plastic.

“I reuse canvases and try to be plastic free as much as possible.

“What a wonderful opportunity for people to recycle and receive something unique and one of a kind.”