School pupils hear of fast fashion's climate folly

Jack O'Callaghan introduces the event.

A talk this morning to primary and second level Kilcullen students in the Bridge Community's Artaban Hall was designed to bring home the reality of how fast fashion is impacting the planet, writes Brian Byrne.

Given by circular economy fashion consultant Carrie Ann Moran, it was organised as part of the Bridge Camphill's Thornton Lace project for Brigid 1500. Thornton Lace was produced in Kilcullen in the 1850s as a social enterprise for local women to make money, employing some 700 women at its height.  The current project is exploring that enterprise artistically, with a number of mosaics being produced by artist Katy Palmieri which will be located at different premises in Kilcullen. 

"The mosaic we are placing in our Bridge Community is on the theme of environment," says the project's instigator Sarah Gillespie, adding that comparing the value placed on clothing in the past with attitudes today was the focus of this morning's event. "People in the past didn't have many clothes — the tailor or local seamstress made them, and they were valued."

Carrie Ann Moran's task this morning was to explain how fast fashion began, and how it has massively impacted the environment and has social impacts as well.

"We are so far removed from our clothing today," she says. "I remember fast fashion  starting, when I was young. Before that we had a value on clothing, there was fixing and mending. Clothes were never meant to be cheap, that came with outsourcing it to developing countries where labour and other costs were much cheaper."

Some 18 years ago, Carrie Ann merged an earlier training in law and a subsequent interest in fashion design to became actively involved in responsible procurement and ethical trading in the fashion industry. She advises and educates on how the fast fashion industry is substantially adding to climate change and pollution through the fast fashion model. "The anchor point is to raise people's awareness of what is going on. People don't really know that where they go and buy their clothes can have a massive impact on climate change. When they are told, they tend to find out what they can do to change things."

In a national awareness programme last year it was found that 80pc of people were not aware of these impacts, and 96pc of students particularly were willing to look at their consumption habits and 'move things around'. "There are very tangible things we can do. Just stop and think about what we're buying. Do we really need this? Will I commit to wearing it for a long time?"

This morning's talk also featured Kildare County Council's Environmental Awareness Officer Dara Wyer, and was one of three in which the mosaic project will be outlined over the coming months.

The event was introduced by Jack O'Callaghan, a service user of Bridge Camphill.

Sarah Gillespie and Carrie Ann Moran, with Orla and Sarah from Bridge Community Camphill who helped organise the event.

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An Tearmann bakes available at The Coffee Hatch

The Coffee Hatch at Kilcullen Community Centre is delighted to announce that we will be selling some of An Tearmann's tray bakes, writes Centre Manager Enda O'Neill.

An Tearmann's delicious Chocolate Biscuit Cake, Flapjacks and Caramel Slice will now be sold alongside Pete De Chefs delicious cakes and cookies.

This is a very exciting for both Kilcullen Community Centre’s Coffee Hatch and An Tearmann as it shows how different community-based transitional programmes and day services can work successfully together and support each other while promoting inclusiveness.

I am delighted that An Tearmann have agreed to supply us with their wonderful bakes as their service and coffee shop has been greatly missed within our community due to the Covid 19 pandemic. At least now we can again taste some of what they have to offer at The Coffee Hatch at Kilcullen Community Centre.

Pictured are Zoe and Sandy from An Tearmann and Monica from The Coffee Hatch.

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A letter from the Bridge Community to Kilcullen

A letter from all at Bridge Camphill has been posted in the windows of An Tearmann, in a 'Hello to our loyal customers and supportive local community', writes Brian Byrne. Signed by Siodhna and Sarah, the letter expresses the hope that everyone and their loved ones in Kilcullen are keeping well in these difficult times.

They write that the community has remained Covid-free, something they are very proud of. As day attendees have not been able to enter the community since they closed the gates in March, they have kept in touch with them by phone and send out weekly activity packs to their homes. They are now meeting with them for regular walks and Covid-19 protocol training.

The sad death in March of Marion McKeon, a first-year trainee, was marked in June on her birthday with the purchase of a cherry tree which will be planted in the autumn when the day service returns. At the moment it can be seen from the bridge, by the mosaic.

Gardening, baking, cooking, cleaning and de-cluttering are all activities which have kept the community occupied since they retreated from public in March. "We did lots of lovely creative things, read and partook of our in-house book club, and had a barbecue or two," they write. "We kept fit by walking our nature trail, combined with various Daniel Craig/James Bond-like stretches including baked bean bicep curls."

The most recent fitness undertaking was an AOlympic Challenge devised the Kildare Sport Partnership and Padraig Healy. Ball-balancing, bowling, target-throwing and boxing were included, along with walking and running. Photos of those who completed the challenges are displayed in the windows of An Tearmann.

A virtual Women's Mini Marathon to be undertaken on the Nature Trail in the first 10 days of October will involve 16 laps of the Trail, and all women in Kilcullen are invited to take part, subject to any restrictions on social gatherings. Men in Kilcullen are invited to volunteer to help in a supportive role, including providing refreshments to the participants. "We don't know when our coffee shop and Nature Trail will be open to the public, but we are making a start on the training, utilising the excellent training plans available on the VHI Women's Mini Marathon website, and encourage you all to do the same."

The letter concludes by thanking all those who have been in touch over the weeks and months, enquiring after those in The Bridge Community. There are also thanks to the parents and families of the trainees for supporting with activity packs and photographs, and the parents of the residents working with the community and its Covid protocols.

"Our best wishes to our local suppliers and businesses. We hope to take our place with them in due course as a contributor to the economic and social life of the town."

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Manna organic shop relocates

The Manna organic shop in Bridge Camphill has been relocated into the Weavery, writes Brian Byrne.

The shop will concentrate on organic dry goods as well as selling some of the surplus vegetables from the community's garden.

Margaret O'Shea says the new location will make the shop more visible to the footfall in and around the An Tearmann cafe.

The current plan is that the shop will be open on Thursdays and Saturdays until 2pm, and all day on Fridays.

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