A ENVIRONMENTAL group is set to open a new eco-friendly refill shop in a village following crunch international climate change talks.

Villagers can expect to see a new refill shop open in their village in the coming months.

Organisers behind the successful Eco Colnes and Halstead group have announced they will be opening a new shop in Earls Colne.

The group was started by resident Cherry McKean two and a half years ago and is a Facebook-based community group.

Eco Colnes and Halstead has ballooned to a whopping 1,200 members since starting and sees members strive to make better environmental changes in their day-to-day lives.

The group is also offering support for anyone wanting to make a change to their lifestyle following the controversial Cop26 event which saw world leaders meet to discuss climate change pledges.

Now Cherry, with help of fellow group admin Rachel Sprunt, is hoping to open a new refill shop in the village’s high street - Ecolnes Refillery.

Refill shops offer customers the chance to visit a refill jars and tubs with stocked goods in a bid to reduce plastic waste which has a bad effect on the environment.

Items which will be stocked include dried foods like pasta, rice, herbs and spices as well as other products like shampoo and conditioner and washing up liquids.

Cherry says the items will be ethical, better for the planet, plastic free and all as local as possible.

Plans to bring a refill shop to the area have been in the works for eight months and the project is moving forward.

Although an exact date is yet to be set, Cherry says they hope to open in the start of the new year.

Cherry said: “I started the group as I wanted to know how other people were starting to make eco changes in their household and where they are getting there products from.

“I added my friends and they added there friends and now are up to 1.2k members.

“We are a friendly group that supports each other on making better environmental changes from questions on how to reduce our waste, how to recycle better and how to reduce your carbon footprints.

“With the cop26 happening people may feel helpless on what they can do but that’s were Eco Colnes and Halstead comes in.

“We can offer advice and support on your very first step in helping the planet and helping our future generations.

“Myself and Rachel Sprunt have decide to open our very own refill shop in the village of Earls Colne.

“We aim to have the ethos of eco in the shop where you can come in and ask advice but also refill your jars and tubs to help reduce your plastic waste but also your carbon footprint with local and UK made products f

“Ecolnes Refillery will be coming very soon so please follow our journey and make that one change as you are never to small to make a difference.”