Wightlink helps an Isle of Wight company turn bouncy castles into brilliant bags
4th February 2020
Wightlink was quick to step in to help Isle of Wight company Wyatt and Jack in its sustainable mission to recycle old inflatables into stylish and hardwearing bags.
The ferry company transported more than 20 broken bouncy castles, inflatable pools, airbeds and even old sumo wrestler suits across the Solent from Portsmouth to Fishbourne in a Wightlink trailer. They will be transformed into unique products at the family business’s workshop in Newchurch.
Nick Collyer from Devon inflatable hire company Fun Matters donated most of the items and drove across from Newton Abbot to drop them off. “We can’t hire them out anymore but there is still plenty of value in the material and it’s great that Wyatt and Jack can upcycle them,” he says.
“We were delighted to support this innovative company which is keeping tonnes of old plastic out of landfill,” adds Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield. “Our hybrid energy flagship Victoria of Wight is already setting the standard for sustainable environmentally friendly shipping through our Green Agenda. Now Wyatt and Jack is doing the same for retail.”
Wyatt and Jack has also partnered with Final Straw Solent to collect donations of unwanted inflatables from members of the public. The environmental group collected them at Wightlink’s Portsmouth car ferry terminal during October half term 2019 in ‘Nellie’ – its giant metal fish.
Georgia Wyatt-Lovell from Wyatt and Jack says: “We are so grateful to Wightlink for supporting us in our mission to upcycle these plastics. Since Wyatt and Jack was founded in 2010, we have saved over 200 tonnes from landfill! If anyone has any old inflatables to send us, do get in touch at wyattandjack.com – we’ll pay the postage.”
Picture caption, Nick Collyer from Fun Matters and Wightlink Port Operations Lead James Madden prepare to ship unwanted inflatables at Wightlink’s Portsmouth car ferry terminal
For more information, contact Karen Woods at Wightlink on 07775 694266 or [email protected] or Georgia Wyatt-Lovell at Wyatt and Jack on 01983 301010 or [email protected]