Women's Environmental Network and Real Nappies for London

Women’s Environmental Network Biographies

Rachel Eburne, Interim Director, Friday 29 February

Rachel Eburne’s role with the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) has been to manage the organisation as Interim Director from November 2006 to January 2008. As such she has been a part of all WEN’s work and campaigns and is proud to acknowledge WEN’s crucial role regarding real nappies.

Practically, as a mother of two small boys, Rachel has used real nappies since birth and has actively promoted them amongst friends and acquaintances.

With my experience at work and at home I am keenly aware of the issues both at a policy level and as a user.

Grace Onions, Nappy Project Volunteer, WEN, Saturday 1 March

Grace Onions first discovered WEN when she became aware of the huge numbers of synthetic chemicals in everyday products and their potential to damage human and environmental health.

Consequently, when her first daughter was born, she used cloth nappies and discovered they were not the drama she had been led to believe. She wasn't constantly washing them and nappy rash was something she never had to deal with. By the time her second daughter was born two and a half years later, all her sister's nappies were ready and waiting, at no extra expense.

Grace volunteers with the Nappy Project at WEN and works with the Croydon Real Nappy Network, a local voluntary group. Together they work with the council and antenatal groups to promote the use of a reusable, convenient and cost effective product to anyone who's interested - and even some who aren't!

Tamara Rayment, Sunday 2 March

As a WEN member, using real nappies on her son Diggory, Tamara volunteered with WEN until February 2007 when she joined the Real Nappy Team professionally. Here she works with London's health professionals to inform parents of the choices available in modern cloth nappies and the Real Nappies for London scheme. In particular, she trains local authority staff and midwives in parent education on nappies. Tamara also runs WEN's Real Nappy Exchange, a free service enabling parents to buy or sell used nappies. Before motherhood and joining WEN, Tamara worked as an Occupational Therapist in the NHS and wears pink ear muffs on her bicycle.