The Headquarters of the Antigua & Barbuda Girl Guides is now home to a brand new sustainable bench marking the successful completion of the Ocean Love NO Plastic NO Waste youth environmental programme.
Donated through partnership with the Sandals Foundation and the West Indies Sail Heritage Foundation, the bench made from over 20,000 recycled plastic bottle caps, stands as a powerful symbol of transformation, turning waste that could have ended up in the ocean or landfill into something meaningful and long-lasting for the community serves as both a functional piece and a daily reminder of the importance of environmental responsibility.
This initiative was the culmination of a multi-session programme delivered to members of Girl Guides Chapters 3 & 9. Throughout the programme, participants engaged in a series of educational and hands-on activities focused on plastic pollution and sustainability. The Guides learned about the 4Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, participated in a beach cleanup in Falmouth, and explored the process of upcycling plastic through interactive workshops using specialized machinery.
They also had the opportunity to create their own items from recycled plastic, deepening their understanding of how waste can be repurposed into useful products. The programme concluded with an Ocean Lovers Pledge Ceremony, where each Guide committed to adopting more sustainable habits in their daily lives, including reducing single-use plastics and properly disposing of waste.
“The bench represents more than just recycled material; it reflects the knowledge, effort, and commitment of these young women,” said Charlotte Hooijdonk, CEO of the West Indies Sail Heritage Foundation. “It is a lasting reminder impact of what education, partnership, and community action can achieve.”
For Sandals Foundation, the infrastructure forms part of its long-term mission to advance environmental education across generations.
“Enviromenmental stewardship begins with knowledge and an appreciation for the natural resources and ecosystems that make life what it is. Through this bench, our hope is for the Girl Guides of today and tomorrow to be reminded of the power they have in being of service to their environment – making conscious decisions to reduce the waste they consume, reuse and recycle where possible” says Patrice Gilpin, Public Relations Manager at the Sandals Foundation.
As the Girl Guides enjoy their new bench, it stands not only as a place to rest, but as a symbol of what is possible when communities come together to create sustainable change.