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Welcome questions & answers on cpp
This section is where we hope all the questions you have will be answered and more. Please click on the ’Get Involved’ page for all our videos, patterns and instructions for making all our survival items. Plus safety advice.
All your questions Answered and educational packs
Questions and Answers
Q&A
Q; How many crisp packet does it take to make a crisp packet project survival sheet ?
A; It takes 44 regular size crisp packets or any size crisp packet to make a grid of 100cm by 200cm
Q; How many crisp packets dose it take to make a Crisp packet project Bivi bag ?
A; It takes 150 crisp packets or 110cm by 210cm x2 and no grater than 125cm by 225 x 2 panels .
Q; What plastic do I use ?
A; All plasti should me clear plastic not any colours this is very important as colours have more toxins in it.
Your plastic should be as thick as a plastic bread bag and not any thinner slightly thicker is ok . You will find if your plastic is to thick it will be to bulky to fold up and will take longer to fuse. Some thicker plastic can be used for handles and making ponchos if not to thick .
So cling film and wrap is to thin. And plastic that beds and carpets come in is to thick to fuse. Please make sure it is a fuse not a melt and you don’t touch the iron with your plastic us a big sheet of bak paper. Use a well ventilated area and a mask is recommend. If you do get plastic on your iron remove by scraping on the side of an old table while hot.
Q. How long does a survival sheet take to make start to finish ?
A. A survival sheet takes about 1 and half hours
and a Bivi bag roughly 3 and a half hours
Q. What are the best crisp packets to use ?
A.The best crisp packets to use are most walkers brands or anything that is fairly soft . Your find the thicker packets and the thin packets harder to fuse .
Q. What are the worse crisp packets to use?
A. Sensations and lentil curls are some of the worst packets. anything thick in paint and dark or light in colour. These heat up differently. And once the plastic goes on can leave holes. Some Chocolate packets do not work that well again the plastic doesn’t fuse as well .
Q. What equipment do you need?
A. Your need an iron , baking paper, scissors and a tape measure. A mask or a well ventilated room to work in.
Q. Can I make these for My local community?
A. Yes you can make this to help your less fortunate community. Either hand them out or get in touch with your community out reach team .
Q. How do you open a crisp packet ?
A.To prepare your crisp packet one end will be open already then open the bottom then cut one side or the middle of the back panel. Then you have a crisp packet opened landscape way. Then wash.
Q. How do you wash a crisp packet?
A. You can either wash them in warm soapy water then hang out to dry or towel dry. Or put them in your washing machine cut open on a quick wash in a pillow case tied up not more than 30 degrees. Or place them cut in your dishwasher. All towel dry or hang out.
Q. How long do these items last ?
A. This really depends on how well you make them and how well your less fortunate friend looks after it . People I know still have my first ones . They are very strong . I have had a couple come back to re fix when they have torn them on trees and nails . I give them a new one and peach the old one back up to use again . Some of our less fortunate community pass them on once they are not homeless anymore.
Q. How do they work?
A. They work because the crisp packet silver side reflects your heat back into your body the strong materials in the crisp packet plus the plastic fused on to the packets makes this a supple strong long lasting material .
Q. Do the homeless like them ?
A. Our less fortunate community only have praise for these items they have given me a lot of advice over the year and they say this is an amazing bit of kit. One chap said this was the best thing that helped him living on the streets for 6 months.
Q. How do I distribute them ?
A. I hand them out to Survival The Streets Uk Charity. I go out with them on there evening feeds Also there fantastic team that has them on there 0800 number so anyone in the area of Hastings can ring and they will deliver. I now send out to different counties. And hopefully I will start sending abroad if I can get donation for the postage.
Q. How can I help ?
A. You can by collecting or making these life saving items in your local community.
Q. Where can I get plastic from ?
A. You can get the right clear plastic from most supermarkets, warehouses clothes shops .
Q. Can I open a CPP area Facebook group ?
A. You can open a group if you have made one crisp packet survival sheet . You can use our crisp packet project group logo and all our information. Please do get in touch if you would like to do this so we can guide you . For our amazing CPP group organisers we have a private support group to help you and they can help each other ..
Q. Can I open my own none CPP group ?
A. You can open your own group . And crack on making these life saving items. Please do not use our photos. People have been making money through using our photos which is a real shame . As I didn’t mind at first but as this has happened I have to say no. If you are wanting to use our information to make money please do think again. This project is to help people and to give one use plastics a new life. It doesn’t take a lot of money to keep your group running as we are all volunteers and we are using items that are for free.
Q. How can our school organisation get involved?
A. Your school can get involved by having a collection box , washing and cutting your packets either then sending them to one off our groups or why not get making these life saving lives.
Q. What are your CPP survival items ?
A. Crisp packet project survival sheet.
Crisp packet project Bivi bag
Poncho made from landfill waste plastic
Pouches made from coffee bags
Crisp packet project cushions
Crisp packet project sack bags
Crisp packet project hand bags
Q. How long has your project been running?
A. This project has been running since November 2019
Q. Is this an on going project?
A. This is an ongoing project until there are no more homeless needing our items.
Q. Is this a charity?
This is not a registered charity , we are a CIC, community interest company, non profit organisatio.n.
Q. Do we make money?
A. We receive small donations which help pay towards electric, equipment, rent and postage costs. We are a none wage organisation.
Q. How many volunteers help run the CPP ?
A. We have roughly 20 Hastings CPP volunteers we are a very productive group .
A. How do I book a zoom ?
Q. Please look at our information on how to book a zoom then send be your information on booking form and confirmation on payment. Then I will send your zoom details and confirmation.
A. Will you be going on tour again ?
A. At this time of uncertainty I think not. But for now I’m concentrating on Zoom demonstration to keep spreading and teaching how to make your your own survival items.
Q. How many CPP area groups are there ?
A. We have 38 CPP area groups and growing every day
Health and Safety Guide
Please be aware and work in a ventilated area
Please be carful when using your iron and make sure children are supervised at all times. That when making these items it is at your own risk. We are fusing plastic not melting it, even so there will be toxins produced. Please make sure you make these items in a well ventilated area. The mask we advise to be worn is a A2p3 seen in diagram and for sale in most DIY Stores. You can use other masks but just make sure you open your windows and doors for ventilation.
Safety advice on the best masks to wear
Important information Please read safety Advice
Safety advice on what are the best masks to be worn .A A2p3 is the best mask to use, When making items please use a well ventilated area and a mask . Please hit the link to find out what filter mask is. best .