A group has begun making nature-themed mosaics using plastic bottle tops for Romsey Festival.

Transition Town Romsey collected the bottle tops with the help of a number of organisations, groups and individuals in and around Romsey, after receiving a Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) Councillors’ Community Grant.

The project, which started in March, aims to highlight the issue of plastic waste, particularly as it ends up in oceans and enters the food chain.

Those who collected the tops have become aware of how many are securely attached to bottles, which – along with advancements in recycling technology and improving sorting processes – means the likelihood of plastic escaping into the environment has decreased significantly.

Romsey Men’s Shed constructed the backing boards, and the designs for the mosaics were determined by the types and colours of the collected bottle tops.

During the Romsey Festival, which runs from July 3 to July 19, the mosaics will be displayed around Romsey in the form of a trail, with several businesses and buildings already signed up to display one.

A map of the ‘bottle Top Trail’ will be available during the festival.

The project not only promotes recycling but also engages the community in a creative initiative, showcasing the potential for waste to be repurposed into art.

Article, by Sophie Day, first published in Hampshire Chronicle