» APRIL 2011
Survey Shows Over 2 Million Tonnes Of Commerical And Industrial Waste Are A Valuable Resource To The Region
APRIL 2011: A report published today (27 April 2011) has revealed that 2,176,587 tonnes of waste from commercial and industrial businesses is generated on average each year across the North East.
The North East Sustainable Resources Board, the organisation formed to champion and improve resource management opportunities in the region, commissioned the research to provide key data for investors and to assist strategic planning. A national survey which was commissioned by Defra last year included data from the North East, however the Board decided to extend the survey with a dedicated focus on the region* in view of its remit to support and ensure greater resource recovery.
Over 1,000 businesses from 12 different sectors including agriculture, construction, mining and quarrying, among others, participated in the North East England Commercial and Industrial Waste Survey ** and the findings were combined with those collated for the region in the Defra survey.***
The findings showed that the largest proportion of waste, 893,421 tonnes, arose in Tyne & Wear and the chemical manufacturing sector was the largest contributor, generating over 15 per cent of the total tonnage, followed by the retail and wholesale sector which generated 323,823 tonnes.
The most common waste type arising was mixed wastes, which tends to be the residual waste left after segregation for recycling and mostly goes to landfill. The next most common was non-metallic waste, which accounted for 439,890 tonnes and includes key recyclables such as paper, card, plastics, metals, textiles and glass.
Currently 33 per cent of the region's waste is sent to landfill, 35 per cent is recycled and other methods such as reuse, composting and land-spreading accounted for 1,059,568 tonnes of the waste arising in the region, with an additional 178,288 tonnes being used for energy recovery or thermal treatment. A key issue arising from the survey will be identifying the opportunities for future investment in waste and resource recovery such as the resources currently being sent to landfill, which could be recovered for re-use, recycling and energy production.
The survey was funded by ANEC and ONE North East and is the first survey of its kind conducted in the region. More importantly, it will shape and inform potential future investment into new waste and resource management infrastructure and is therefore vital to the region's long-term strategic waste planning.
Helen Watson, North East Sustainable Resources Board Coordinator, says: "The report and its findings represent one of the most crucial pieces of work the Board has undertaken and the level of support and interest from participating businesses and organisations was particularly encouraging.
"Our report and its extensive data will prove invaluable to waste planners and policy developers in the region in scoping the use of the region's resources in the future. Moreover, we hope to continue to update the current data in order to provide a clear overview of the resource management opportunities available in terms of commercial and industrial waste and provide support to projects associated with improving and enhancing current management models, such as the pending Resource Management Plan, which the Board is developing this year."
The NESRB, is managed by RenewPlus, the not for profit company offering support, advice, training and consultancy services to businesses, individuals and organisations working in the energy and environmental industries to ensure the North East remains a leader in the sector. RenewPlus is also responsible for the Energy and Environmental Industries Forum (EEIF), the new network designed to encourage collaboration and connections across the green sector.
For a copy of the report please visit www.nesrb.org.uk and for further information about RenewPlus please visit www.renewplus.co.uk or call 0191 4956260.
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For further information please contact Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Charity Introduces Groupwork Thanks to Donation
APRIL 2011: The Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre (TRCC) was able to launch a writing support group for women survivors of sexual violence thanks to a donation from a North East business.
The sessions have been funded by a donation last year of £3,500 from Spark Response, the Gateshead-based contact centre and fulfilment specialist.
Sue Pearce, Counsellor at the Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre, said: "We are very grateful to the staff at Spark Response for their kind donation which enabled us to run the group sessions. The feedback from the participants was very positive and not only did they receive support through the sessions; the fact that it was a group meant that the participants could meet other women who have survived similar experiences.
"We have been approached by many of the women who use our services in the past asking if we could offer group work, but we simply didn't have the funds to run them. Due to the overwhelming success of the scheme we will definitely be looking at running these sessions again in the future, if funding is available".
The sessions took the form of a closed group, which met 12 times, with each session lasting two hours. Over the course of the sessions, the support group developed the women's own positive methods of coping and the centre's workers helped the women who attended to build resilience and regain self esteem.
The TRCC relies heavily on private funding for projects such as group work and would not have been able to run these sessions without the donation from Spark Response.
Peter Slee, Managing Director, Spark Response, said: "We raise funds for a different charity each year and we are delighted when we receive feedback and find out exactly what the money raised has gone to. We are always keen to support charities in the region and finding out that we have made a difference is great motivation to our staff to continue to raise funds throughout the year."
Staff at Spark raised the funds during the course of the year through raffles, sales of ex-stock donated by clients, a sponsored chest-waxing, a Saturday football league, a family fun day and regular dress down days.
Spark provides contact centre and fulfilment support to organisations including Toys R Us, Cancer Research UK, Straight Plc, Even Greener, Best Direct, Red Direct, FitFlop and Soap & Glory.
For more information about the Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre please visit www.tynesidercc.org.uk or call 0191 222 0272. For more details about Spark Response please visit www.sparkresponse.com or call 0191 418 6077
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For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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North East School Children Win Easter Treats From Egg-Stra Special Bus Services
APRIL 2011: Local school children in the North East are celebrating after winning an Easter egg hunt by spotting Easter chicks on Stagecoach North East bus services.
Amy Train, from Hilton Primary School in Newcastle, Karl Preston, from Greengates Primary School in Stockton-on-Tees, Abigail Graham and Ellis Robson, from St. John Bosco R.C. Primary School in Sunderland and Abbie Greenfield, from Westoe Crown Primary School in South Shields won chocolate eggs for their whole class, after spotting chicks on services throughout March.
Easter chicks appeared on local services in Easter egg shaped stickers on the inside and outside of selected services for children to spot. Stagecoach North East invited children to write to them stating which service they spotted the egg on and the name of the chick with the winners being announced this week.
Jodine Milne, Marketing Manager of Stagecoach North East said: "Our Easter egg hunt with a difference proved very popular with local children and it looks like our young customers had great fun spotting the Easter chicks on our services. We wanted to create an initiative that would encourage the local school community to experience public transport in a fun and engaging way and to this end it has proved a resounding success.
"We would like to thank everyone who entered the competition and congratulate Amy, Karl, Abigail, Eliis and Abbie on winning and hope they enjoy their Easter treats."
The chocolate eggs are being presented to the winning classes over the next two weeks.
For further information about Stagecoach North East please visit www.stagecoachbus.com/northeast
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For further information please contact Christina Pounder on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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New Service Simplifies Farming Compliance
APRIL 2011: The North East's leading animal by-product and food waste collection and disposal service provider has launched a new, free service to help farmers comply with statutory requirements.
John Warren ABP has worked with farmers for over three generations and using this experience has created an online service, which supplies its clients with comprehensive compliance reports that meets the criteria required by DEFRA, Trading Standards and farm inspectors.
The new online service enables farmers to view invoices, review orders, check current prices and most importantly, collate comprehensive reports that detail the number of animals lost, complete with their date of birth, date of disposal and their ear tag reference.
While farmers can access the information and generate reports whenever they want through a dedicated secure section of the John Warren ABP website, the company can also post the detailed reports to its clients upon request, free of charge.
Moreover, as this level of detailed information can only be provided by the farmer's regular collector and is entirely free, John Warren ABP's customers have the reassurance that they need only rely upon their trusted collector for compliance support and do not require additional chargeable assistance from other national bodies.
Adam Warren, Director, John Warren ABP says: "Complying with statutory regulations such as those as imposed by DEFRA, Trading Standards and farm inspectors, is often complicated and time consuming for farmers. To simplify the process we have created an online service that generates a detailed report comprising all statutory information in a matter of minutes utilising our existing data compiled during our contact with the farmer. This level of detailed information can only be provided by a collector who has direct contact with the farmer and is vitally important to the smooth operation of any farm.
"The service is unique and we believe it will add real value to our customers and hopefully ease the pressure on the farmer by simplifying the compliance process. It is our aim to provide our clients with the highest possible standards of service and the new compliance support we are offering is testament to our commitment to achieving this aim."
Since it was founded, John Warren ABP has built a reputation as the North East of England's premier animal by-product collector. As the business evolved, the company introduced food waste collection and disposal services enabling it support the wider sector from the farm through to abattoir, and processor to retailers.
In addition to collecting and disposing of fallen stock from farms and contracted government schemes, the company also collects animal by-products, food waste, farm recycling and used cooking oils. Moreover, John Warren ABP has responded to market demand and recently introduced liquid waste and septic tank collections to its growing portfolio of specialist services.
For more information please visit www.jwarrenabp.com or call 01388 488215.
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For any further information, an image or an interview please call Liz Eddy or Christina Pounder at Velvet Communications on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Renew Legacy Continues With New Green Consultancy
APRIL 2011: The legacy of leading North East environmental organisation RENEW is set to continue with the formation of RenewPlus.
RenewPlus, headed up by former RENEW manager Chris Hayward, will continue the work that RENEW started in the region by offering businesses, individuals and organisations working in the energy and environmental industries support, advice and consultancy services to ensure the North East remains a leader in the sector.
Recent government cuts resulted in funding for RENEW being withdrawn from 31 March 2011 and so the commercially sustainable RenewPlus began operation from 1 April 2011.
Chris Hayward, Managing Director of RenewPlus said: "RENEW had achieved so much in pushing the North East to the forefront of the low carbon, sustainable energy and resource recovery drive, so we wanted to ensure that there was still a place that people working in the growing sector could turn to for help and advice. The RENEW brand is well known and has a rich heritage in delivering results and it is our aim to provide continuity and make the transition to the private sector as smoothly as possible."
The limited, not for profit company will initially employ two other members of staff; Nikki Silcock and Helen Watson, who were both part of the original RENEW team and will be based at Metropolitan House, Gateshead, while working throughout the region.
RenewPlus will be responsible for managing the activities of the North East Sustainable Resources Board (NESRB), the body formed to champion and improve resource management opportunities in the region and the Energy and Environmental Industries Forum (EEIF), the new network designed to encourage collaboration and connections across the green sector. Additional services available from RenewPlus will also include consultancy and training.
Chris added: "We are very excited about this new venture and feel it will be an invaluable service for those already operating within the industry and those wanting to make the most of the opportunities this burgeoning sector is presenting in the North East."
RENEW was a project funded by the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and helped over 200 projects since 2008. Businesses interested in consultancy services or training from RenewPlus should contact Chris and his team on 0191 4956260/4956760.
For further information about RenewPlus please visit www.renewplus.co.uk
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For further information please contact Christina Pounder on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Bus Driver Gets His Running Shoes On For Charity
APRIL 2011: A local bus driver is getting set for a marathon charity effort this April to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Care.
Stagecoach North East bus driver Sean Smith, is taking part in the Virgin London Marathon on 17 April to raise much needed funds for the charity. The engaged father of two is in training to complete the 26-mile race in less than three weeks time.
Thirty-four year old Sean from Sunderland said: "I'm really looking forward to the Marathon, I love the challenge of taking part and the buzz when you cross the finish line is brilliant. It will be the sixth time I've run in the London Marathon and my goal is to try and finish it in under three hours."
This will be Sean's seventh marathon having taken part in the Edinburgh Marathon last year, as well as the London Marathon fives times prior to this with a personal best time of two hours 53 minutes. He has also completed the Great North Run every year for the past 18 years and will be taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon and Great North Run later this year too.
Sean added: "I feel lucky to enjoy running and to be able to take part in the marathon, so I thought I would try and raise some money for a good cause as well. I don't have a personal connection to Macmillan Cancer Care, but I do know friends and colleagues who have benefited from their services so I want to raise as much as I can for them as I've seen how vital their services were to them. My colleagues at Stagecoach North East are always supportive and I'm grateful for the encouragement they give me by putting their hand in their pockets to sponsor me."
If you would like to sponsor Sean please visit his JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/Sean-Smith1976.
The Virgin London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world that follows a relatively flat course around the River Thames; it takes place this year on Sunday 17 April.
For further information about Stagecoach North East please visit www.stagecoachbus.com/northeast
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For further information please contact Christina Pounder on 01642 584790 or email christina@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Niven Architects Completes Restoration Of Town's Eyesore
APRIL 2011: A former eyesore in Darlington, which was due to be demolished, is now a welcome site on the town's landscape due to a complete re-design by Niven Architects on behalf of Tompkins Holdings.
The near derelict building had been occupied by a leading insurance company for approximately 30 years before it was sold to Tompkins Holdings who hired fellow Darlington firm, Niven Architects, to completely overhaul the entire building.
Simon Crowe, Architectural Director, Niven Architects, said: "Beaumont House in Darlington had become quite an iconic building in the area but for all the wrong reasons, as it had become very run down and was set to be demolished. When Charles Tompkins expressed an interest in buying the building to use as his company headquarters, we had already created visuals for a developer who had decided not to take it forward at the time. Charles was impressed with our plans and we started working together in October 2009."
Niven Architects set about a comprehensive refurbishment of the entire building, working closely with Wharton Construction. The outer shell of the building was made more energy efficient with the addition of double-glazing. The team installed air conditioning and comfort cooling, as well as adding a stair tower to the eastern end of the building giving it an added architectural feature. Fins were added to the exterior of the building with detail lighting, which highlights the new façade at night.
Simon continues: "The overall investment made by Tompkins Holdings of £2 million has not only transformed this corner of Darlington, but will hopefully act as a catalyst for further re-development of the town."
Niven Architects is a leading architectural practice providing a holistic service from concept through to final delivery.
The company has extensive experience and expertise spanning 25 years in providing quality and excellence in all aspects of, architectural design and project management. Its service proposition is robust and comprises pre-development consultation, architectural design, visualisation, planning, project management, sustainability services, interior design and retail design services. While it has a rich heritage in North East England, the practice works within all development sectors nationally and in some cases internationally.
For more information about Niven Architects please visit www.nivenarchitects.co.uk or call 01325 260055.
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For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith at Velvet Communications on 07909 537 773 or via email at madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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