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Louise Moss

Plastic litter is having a huge impact on our oceans.

Here at Rainham we have a few ways that we are trying to reduce the single use plastics - including an offer for you...


Customers bringing their own reusable cups will be rewarded with a 20p discount from your hot drinks for helping reduce waste. 

The team in the cafe have also:

  • replaced any plastic straws
  • if you want a cup for cold drinks they are not plastic, but fully compostable vegware cups
  • all take away disposables (including any take away hot drink mugs and take away food packaging) are completely compostable as well - usually these items are lined with plastic to make sure that there are no leakages, but the ones that we are using do not use plastic, they are made using corn starch
  • most cold drinks available are made from recyclable materials, and we are looking into replacing our bottles of water with recyclable alternatives

You can buy re-usable ‘keep cups’ from our shop:

Our glass keep cups are non toxic BAP/ BPS free, durable fully tempered soda lime glass, dishwasher safe, replaceable components (recyclable at end of life) and are available for £13.99:

We also have a Summit flask - for just £4.99

The coffee that you drink in the cafe, and can buy in the shop, is wildlife friendly too...

The Bird and Wild coffee is not only tasty but helps the RSPB, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre and the Fairtrade  Foundation. Bird and Wild only roast seasonal coffee certifies as bird friend and shade grown by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre and contributes to support their research and conservation programmes.

The coffees are naturally grown under the rainforest canopy, a haven for birds and other wildlife and ideal conditions for nurturing a variety of coffee beans. Usual coffee growing practices would clear the area leaving a monoculture - but having coffee grown in the shade of the rainforest allows a diverse tree canopy that provides a haven for threatened migratory birds, insects and other wildlife. And Bird and Wild donate 6% of profits to the RSPB for every bag that you buy.
I really like this coffee, I drink it at home!

If you would like to buy a bag you can find it in our shop for £4.49, or you can buy a coffee (filter, americano, latte, or cappuccino)  in our cafe!

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Being right next to the River Thames we are acutely aware of how much litter is in our waters here. We have an on going battle with litter, especially plastic bottles, on the river wall section of the reserve. Every time we have a high tide a new wave of little gets deposited on that area of the reserve. it is a recurring problem, and something we try and address each year, by organising various clean-ups. If you would like to help then you can keep an eye out for one of these clean up, and look to your own plastic usage - do you need that plastic item, re-use and recycle appropriately.