The Poble Nou of Benitatxell enters a new integrating project, 'Weaving the street', facing the 250 anniversary of the holidays in honor of the patron saint Santa Magdalena. An initiative that combines recycling, collaboration between neighbors and art.
In order to decorate the streets, the Town hall of El Poble Nou de Benitatxell promotes ties between the residents of all areas of the town and adds to the recycling of plastic bags. The idea is inspired by Valverde de la Vera (Cáceres), a pioneer town that started the project in 2013 with the aim of involving citizens in the production of decorative parasols made of plastic bags using the XXL crochet technique.
Now, Benitatxell goes one step further. “Fascinated by this idea, we wanted to adapt it to our possibilities and needs. Given the great potential, we have expanded the focus of action so that the parasols have not only a decorative and protective function, but also social and environmental ”, maintain the three councilors involved, Parties, Environment and Senior.
So, in addition to recycling and decorating, 'Weaving the street' It aims to bring together associations, groups and neighborhood in a common project that serves to remove the group of elderly people from isolation, which in the Poble Nou of Benitatxell represents more than 30% of the population.
Project Phases
The project, divided into three phases, has started this December 15 on Sunday taking advantage of the Christmas Market. In it, the essence of this idea as well as the planned deadlines and the aims of
future.
The first phase is carried out from the Department of Environment, by Jorge Pascual. It consists of a campaign to collect plastic bags and promote bags and durable and ecological systems that began Sunday with the Christmas Market yesterday where the first cardboard container was released to deposit the bags for future awnings and tapestries. In addition, an initial demonstration workshop on how to cut the bags and how to knit was offered.
Tapestry Elaboration
On the other hand, taking advantage of the fact that it was a Christmas shopping day and a lot of plastic bag traffic was generated, the campaign was carried out 'Change me for a plastic one', through which several plastic bags will be exchanged for one of non-polluting material. Now, bag collection extends to the entire term
municipal. The containers are installed in public buildings such as the town hall, the Health Center, the police checkpoint, the Santa María Magdalena school, the Municipal Market and the Social Center. In addition, the collaboration of businesses that wish to host them in their stores will be requested.
The second phase will be coordinated by the Department of the Mayor, in charge of Isa Garrido. It will consist of the elaboration of awnings and tapestries made from plastic bags using crochet techniques. For several months, workshops and meetings will be held in which all the associations, groups and neighborhoods involved will participate.
The third and final phase will be carried out from the Department of Festivities, by Mayte Roldán. It will consist of showing all the people the work done throughout the year. During the festivities in honor of Santa María Magdalena, that the month of July of 2020 will commemorate its 250 anniversary, there will be an exhibition of the first tapestries.
These, which will house motifs or drawings related to the image of the patron or the party, will be used to decorate the sides of the Church square. The tapestries that will hang from the Church square are expected to be the first of many, since the intention of the three councilors involved is that this is a project
Continuity and long term. Given the short timeframe and expensive work, two small tapestries have been projected for the 2020. However, the idea is to grow to fill all the streets of the municipality with awnings during the festivities.
