The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole opened the doors of its brand new Eco Hub on Saturday April 7 as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability.
The Eco Hub is the shopping centre’s latest project, which has transformed an empty unit into a creative space with eco-inspired décor. With living wall installations, grow potting tables and a dedicated learning area, the space is free for the community to use. The Eco Hub also has recycling bins for shoppers and the seating area is made from recycled materials to support environmental best practice.
The launch welcomed local residents, stakeholders and a selection of charities to view the renovated space. Children were invited to enjoy the ‘Make and Take’ station, where art and craft supplies were available to use.
The Dolphin Shopping Centre is committed to sustainable practice, only purchasing green energy, avoiding sending any waste to landfill and recycling on average 75% waste with a goal of increasing that to 80%. The centre was awarded gold in the Green World Awards at the end of last year for its eco-friendly and sustainable partnership with Déjà Vu Upcycling. This partnership helped shoppers upcycle and purchase pre-loved furniture to further cut down on CO2 emissions as well as reduce landfill.
John Grinnell, centre manager at the Dolphin Shopping Centre, commented: “We were really pleased with the turnout for the launch of our Eco Hub and feedback from shoppers was really positive.
“We look forward to collaborating with local stakeholders who share our values and want to support our vision of creating an environment that encourages health and wellbeing. Being an environmentally sustainable shopping centre is hugely important for us.”
Organisations that had a stall at the launch included Sustainable Dorset, And Keep, Transition Poole and MARINElife. Sustainable Dorset is a charity aiming to raise awareness and increase involvement in sustainability. And Keep is a Dorset-based company selling mindfully sourced, eco-friendly and ethical products. Transition Poole is a voluntary group aiming to create positive projects for change. MARINElife, the Dolphin’s nominated charity of the year, is dedicated to further conservation of marine wildlife.
Angela Fendley, community engagement officer at Sustainable Dorset, commented: “The Eco Hub is a fantastic space in the heart of Poole for community groups to use for free to encourage more thoughtful and sustainable ways of living. It will allow the public to discover new and easy ways to care for our planet through choices in what we buy and what we do with our waste, helping tackle problems like plastic pollution. We look forward to seeing more activities and events at the Eco Hub over the coming months.”
Going forwards, local organisations and the community are welcome to run activities and workshops relating to sustainable practice and wellbeing. The Eco Hub welcomes fitness instructors, garden centres, school groups, upcycling fans, bloggers and those running art exhibitions to use the space.
The Eco Hub is open during the centre’s regular opening hours and is free to use. Email info@dolphinshoppingcentre.co.uk for further information or to book the space.
For more information about the Dolphin Shopping Centre, visit www.dolphinshoppingcentre.co.uk.