WASUP was founded by Prof Gatrad. Walsall Against Single Use plastic (WASUP) is about raising awareness through posters, videos talks etc and practically discussing with various groups how to decrease the use of plastic in their organisation in Walsall. Professor Gatrad has already visited 10 schools in Walsall and is hoping to visit all schools in a 12 month period.
Professor Gatrad OBE launched the WASUP project at the Manor Hospital on the 23rd January 2019. The launch was a culmination of many meeting with various groups: Walsall College, Walsall Housing Group, The Manor Hospital, Schools, Scouts, Communities, the Canal and Rivers Trust, Friends of the Earth and supermarkets (TESCO). All this with support from the Lord Lieutenant John Crabtree OBE, Andy Street (West Midland Mayor), the local council, businessmen. Michal Gove who has written a letter congratulating Prof Gatrad on the WASUP Project. At the launch, each of the groups discussed their strategy of helping decrease single-use plastic. Collaborations such as Canal and Rivers Trust working with the scouts, schools and the community will help clean canals on a rota system.
Professor Abdul Rashid Gatrad OBE
Professor A R Gatrad, OBE PhD DSc(Hon) FRCP, FRCPH, MbChB LRCP MRCS D.Obst DCH is a Consultant Paediatrician at the Manor Hospital in Walsall UK, Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and also an Honorary Professor at the University Wolverhampton and Kentucky USA. He has been a Clinical Director for Paediatric Services in Walsall and subsequently Post Graduate Tutor. He holds a National Award for Clinical Excellence.
PhD gained him recognition as an international expert in trans-cultural medicine resulting in the co-authoring of two medical text books both of which were launched to great acclaim in the House of Lords, with support from HRH Prince of Wales, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Sir Liam Donaldson, the then Chief Medical Officer. Professor Gatrad has over 80 peer reviewed publications with past editorship of various journals. For the College of Paediatrics, he has been a postgraduate examiner. In 1990 he was recognised by ‘Rotary International’ with the Paul Harris Fellowship. In 2002 he was awarded an OBE.
In 2014 he was given Freedom of the Borough of Walsall for halving the death rate of new-born babies and made Deputy Lieutenant to Her Majesty the Queen, for West Midlands. For his global humanitarian work he has been awarded a Doctorate of Science from the University of Wolverhampton. He is the architect of multiple medical projects abroad, and built a hospital named after his mother Jubaida in Gujarat (www.miatwalsall.org.uk). He largely champions projects that empower women and girls. In 2017 he received a lifetime achievement award from the Indian Consulate and also from the Royal college of Paediatrics. www.professorgatrad.com and www.professorgatrad.com/youtube . The first edition of his book ‘Moments in Time’ was sold out in 6 months and raised over £20,000 for housing the Rohyngyas in Bangladesh and £10,000 for cleft operations in Malawi. The second edition is also dedicated to humanitarian and environmental causes around the world. He founded WASUP and initiated the campaign of Walsall Against Single Use Plastic in 2017.
Amongst other initiatives there are 4 major things happening with WASUP that I have organised:
- An exhibition by at least 20 schools from the Borough of Walsall on the 5th July 4 – 6 pm on Friday at Walsall College.
- WASUP on the billboards on M5 and M6
- Prof Gatrad has secured £5000 to house a plastic boat to be used in the collection of waste
- A WASUP song has been composed. We are putting the lyrics that have been generated by the school children of Walsall.
It is hoped that all these will be launched on the 5th July 2019
As Deputy Lieutenant opening the Gandhi Centre in Birmingham
As Deputy Lieutenant escorting HRH Princess Royal
