This article was originally published in the North Wales Weekly News on 9 May 2018
The weather this Bank Holiday weekend was, quite simply, perfect. If it could have been made to order, it wouldn’t have been any better. Colwyn Bay beach was thronged with families doing the things families have always done on beaches: paddling, building sandcastles and playing beach cricket. It was a pleasure to behold.
The fine weather happily coincided with the “Creative Rhos” event, organised by Jo Carpenter and Catherine Robinson, with the assistance of the Bay of Colwyn Town Council. The streets of that vibrant corner of the bay were filled with people visiting stalls displaying the products of such varied groups as the Floral Art club and the Embroiderers’ Guild. Stilt walkers and Morris dancers mingled with the crowds; it was a happy, bustling occasion.
A number of local voluntary organisations were also present at the event, among them the Women’s Institute (WI), whose display focused on the malign environmental impact of single-use plastics. The issue has attracted national attention in recent months, as a consequence of David Attenborough’s excellent “Blue Planet” television series. The oceans are being poisoned by the millions of tons of plastic that are dumped in them annually. Our generation has a positive and compelling duty to end this practice.
The Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, has recently announced that he proposes to ban the use of plastic stirrers and drinking straws. Sadly, he appears to have encountered opposition from the European Union – which, in my book, is another good reason why we should leave.
In the meantime, at a local level, Conwy Council are encouraging people to keep our beaches clean by providing brown plastic sacks, which, when filled, can be left for collection next to council waste bins. This is an excellent initiative by a council that has done so much to improve the seafront, and is supported by, among others, the WI’s Sue Heighton.
Creative Rhos was a superb start to what we must all hope will be an excellent tourist season. We now have a first-class beach, a new promenade and a thriving café culture in Rhos on Sea. All we need is the weather.
