Radnor Hills helps create sculpture to celebrate Wales’ global eco status

Sir David Attenborough, the world’s greatest environmentalist, has been immortalised in recycled plastic bottles by a Welsh food artist.

Nathan Wyburn created the 3m x 3m sculpture at the Royal Welsh Show in six hours using 1,000 recycled plastic bottles.

The bottles were supplied by Radnor Hills, official water sponsor of the famous Builth Wells show and Wales’ leading water and soft drinks manufacturer.

Keep Wales Tidy collaborated with Radnor Hills on the artistic project to celebrate Wales coming third globally – and first in the UK – for its recycling credentials.

Nathan, from Blaenau Gwent, is an artist who specialises in creating pieces out of non-traditional mediums. His work has included portraits of Dominic Cummings made from cumin, Piers Morgan from Marmite on toast, Gareth Southgate from ice-cream cones and Little Mix star Perrie Edwards using peri-peri sauce.

Radnor Hills is a committed zero waste to landfill site and is a huge supporter of the circular economy, a model of production and consumption which involves recycling materials and products as long as possible to reduce waste. The company’s bottles are 100% recyclable and are made up from 30% recycled plastic.

William Watkins, managing director and founder of Radnor Hills, said: “As a company, our pledge to the planet is that we will continually improve wherever we can to become more sustainable and to protect the environment around us.

“Our site in Powys is in a very under-populated area and the water we use in our drinks is able to filter naturally through layers of rock to achieve its exceptional taste and purity.

“It was great to team up with Keep Tidy Wales on this artistic project and to watch Nathan transform hundreds of our recycled bottles into an exciting piece of art.”

Nathan Wyburn said: “I was thrilled to throw my support behind a charity and a drinks manufacturer who both promote the sustainable message that is so important to me. As an artist who uses recycled materials for my art, this was a perfect partnership and it was an honour to create a celebration of the legendary Sir David Attenborough.”

Lesley Jones, chief executive of Keep Wales Tidy, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, said: “Nathan is an exciting young Welsh artist with strong ties to sustainable behaviour and the environment and it was great to work with him.”

After the Royal Welsh Show finishes, the sculpture will be taken on a tour around Wales and will then be auctioned off to raise money for a Welsh green initiative charity.

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