WHAT a year it has been for Laura Parry, Liz Carnevale and Sero Zero Waste.

In July, the owners of Newport’s first refill shop won the Environmental Entrepreneur Award and their business the Retailer of the Year prize at The National Environmental Awards.

And at the 2022 South Wales Argus Pride of Gwent Awards, Laura and Liz were crowned winners of the Green Leader Award, sponsored by the University of South Wales.

“We set out to make local community-driven changes to how people think about their environmental impact and make changes,” said the duo after the Rodney Parade ceremony.

“So receiving a Pride of Gwent award feels like a great accomplishment in knowing we are making a difference within our local community.

South Wales Argus:

Laura Parry and Liz Carnevale

“We want to see the planet in a better state and where better to start than right here in our own city.

“If every town had access to these services and resources it would add up to a huge difference nationally.

“We want to remind people that their small, individual changes are making a huge difference and this feels like a great way to remind ourselves that change is happening!”

Sero Zero Waste, based at a grade II-listed building in Tredegar House, refill thousands of the public’s containers every year – containers which would otherwise have gone to landfill.

They also make a huge effort to support and collaborate with more than 25 other businesses, encouraging people to shop local and support small, independent enterprises in the area, and reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.

In addition, they also act as a hub for community initiatives which have included clothes swaps, repair cafes, litter picks, school visits and working with community groups and local businesses to spread awareness of the plastic problem.

Winning an award like this will allow Laura and Liz to approach new opportunities for growth with more confidence.

It will not only attract further investment into a sustainable business but gives the duo a platform to enact further change.

Laura and Liz have brought something completely new to Newport and provided a space for the community to come and shop and feel like they are making a difference.

Shopping with Sero Zero Waste is not simply a retail experience but somewhere to support behaviour change and attitudes towards single-use consumption by making it affordable and convenient for people to access services that allow them to move away from this.

This year's Pride of Gwent Awards were backed by Caerphilly County Borough Council.