en-form Press Releases 2002
Energy Efficient Roadshow – Press Release- 14th October 2002
With the cold winter nights fast approaching its time to get down to the Energy Efficiency Roadshow at the Co-op Fiveways in Stanway this Saturday (19th October).
The Roadshow organised by en-form the Colchester Environment Centre and the Warm Homes Team at Colchester Borough Council is a free event with a number of organisations providing hints and tips on how to make your home warmer and more energy efficient and save money and the environment into the bargain.
Dream 100 the local radio station will be helping to make the day a fun event and there will be face painting, badge making and Laura the Lightbulb for the children.
Andrew Wilkinson of en-form said ” people don’t realise what savings can be made by making your home more energy efficient. You could certainly make more on your money by taking advantage of energy efficient deals than you could by keeping it in the building society.
There are also grants available to reduce the costs even further”.
The event is on Saturday from 9am to 2pm and all visitors can enter a free prize draw to win a number of energy efficient prizes.
Free Hamper Draw at Dedham Farmers Market – Press Release -14th October 2002
With Christmas less than 3 months away the traders at Dedham farmers market have got together to provide a free prize draw for a Christmas hamper made up of items available from the market.
Everyone visiting the farmers market between now and christmas can enter the draw.
The next farmers market will be held this Friday (18th October) at the Assembly rooms, Dedham.
To coincide with Apple Day on the 21st October a number of locally grown apple varieties, apple juices and cakes will be available to taste and buy.
En-form spokesman Andrew Wilkinson said ”as well as the usual wide variety of fresh, locally grown produce you will also be able to pick up your pumpkins for halloween and subject to availability – fresh game this week”.
The market is open from 9am to 2pm and free parking is available.
Further details can be obtained by calling en-form on 01206 367776.
En-form Gets New Computer – Press Release – 9th September 2002
En-form, the Colchester Environment Centre, has a new £1,500 computer with a super-fast link to the internet – and people who think green will benefit.
The umbrella group, based in Church Street, has been awarded the high-tech machine by BT Community Connections.
The award includes a year’s free internet access and Colchester Borough Council have topped up the award to allow super-fast broadband access.
Now, if you have an environmental question, you can use the computer free of charge at En-form.
It will give answers to queries such as where to find the greenest electricity provider or the most environmentally-friendly electrical appliance.
En-form spokesman Andrew Wilkinson thanked BT Community Connections for the award.
He said: “We were among hundreds bidding for the new computer.
“The judges wanted to know how an internet-ready computer would benefit the community … and we impressed them most.”
En-form is open to the public from Wednesday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm.
Anyone wanting to book time on the computer should ring 01206 367776.
Have Your Say on The Environment – Press Release – 21st August 2002
What do you think of Colchester’s efforts to be the greenest borough in the country.
This weekend on bank holiday Monday you will have the chance to put your views.
At the Colchester Free Festival in Castle Park the Greenfield site organised by En-form, The Colchester Environment Centre will include staff from the council and other environmental organisations wanting to know your views on the environment.
Andrew Wilkinson of En-form said ”we often get complaints, comments and good ideas from members of the public on environmental matters. This is a chance for the people of Colchester to tell us what they want and not have decisions made for them”
The section on waste and recycling will particularly be gaining views on the proposed new composting and green waste collection service.
En-form will be trying to gain your views on a number of projects planned over the next 12 months.
Everyone is invited admission is free.
Recycle Your Phone Books – Press Release – 18th August 2002
Over the next couple of weeks over 60,000 old Yellow Pages Directories will be thrown out as the new ones are circulated in Colchester.
However, at En-form we would like to remind Colchester Residents that this enormous amount of paper waste does not have to end up in landfill.
In Colchester, Yellow pages Directories can be left out with your fortnightly paper collection where they will be collected from your house free of charge and sent for recycling.
Andrew Wilkinson at En-form said ” this is a recycling service that has been offered by the council for a number of years but which many residents seem unaware”.
As Colchester tries to boost its recycling rate from 20% we need to tell the public what facilities are already available. Recycling these directories can make an important contribution.
Colchester Waste and Recycling Strategy – Letter to Essex County Standard – Printed 26th July 2002
Your paper has done a good job in stimulating the debate on the waste and recycling strategy in Colchester.
However, it is important to point out the following:
Colchester council and its staff do not want to reduce our recycling efforts by cost cutting. It is being recommended to them by central government through the audit commission.
The cost for our complete waste and recycling service is only 71p per week per home.
The audit commission is also not comparing like with like. Colchester recycles 20.6% of its domestic waste at a cost of £1.79 per year per home for each 1% of waste recycled. Maidstone only recycles 9% at an equivalent cost of £2.66 per 1% of waste recycled. Colchester therefore offers much better value.
With regard to the attended freighter scheme it has to be born in mind that this is in many ways a social service allowing those without transport such as the elderly and those on low income to get rid of there rubbish free.
The alternative is that rubbish would remain on residents premises being unsightly and with a public health risk and fly tipping would probably increase.
The cost of dealing with these issues I am sure would be greater than the cost of the freighter scheme. Add to that the increase in car journeys with the environmental impact of extra trips to the dump.
I have also not yet seen a request from a resident asking for the recycling service to be cut.
Best value is however very important and we should constantly be trying to run the service as efficiently as possible.
We are currently working with the council and other groups to implement even more recycling initiatives.
A poll is currently being conducted on this issue on our website www.en-form.org.uk and at our office.
Andrew Wilkinson, En-form, Colchester Environment Centre, 15 Church Walk, Colchester CO1 1NS. Tel number 01206 367776.
Lottery Award Boost for En-form – Press Release 11th June 2002
En-form the Colchester Environment Centre are celebrating after receiving a grant of £3676 from the National lottery’s Awards for All programme.
The grant will allow the group to buy office equipment, pay expenses for volunteers and produce a quarterly newsletter. En-form spokesman Roly Castiglione said ” We are very pleased to receive this award. It will help us to make the work of our volunteers easier and more rewarding. Our volunteers have worked very hard over the past year on various environmental projects and this award will help then to achieve even more. It is particularly nice to receive the funds in Volunteer Week”
If you would like to get involved in volunteering why not call into En-form at there office in Church Walk Colchester or telephone 01206 367776 to see the wide range of volunteer opportunities available in this area.
Further Information please contact: Roly Castiglione 15 Church Walk Colchester CO1 1NS Telephone 01206 367776 E-mail: info@en-form.org.uk Volunteer week starts on 7th June 2002 details at www.volunteersweek.org.uk
Savings For Colchester Mums – Press release 17th April 2002
Mums in Colchester can save up to £700 by switching from disposable to real nappies and for a limited time they can save even more.
Essex County Council have made available £10 discount vouchers and free starter packs to show mums how easy and convenient real nappies are these days.
To find out how to save money, save the environment and reduce health risks a range of events are planned for ‘real nappy week’ which starts on Monday the 22nd April in Colchester.
On Monday the 22nd April a Real Nappy Roadshow will be visiting the Culver Precinct and on Wednesday the 24th April a midwife will be available to offer advice at the Healthy Colchester shop in Trinity Street.
Over the next few weeks you can also pop into En-form the Colchester Environment Centre in Church Walk off Head Street to apply for your free nappy starter pack or £10 voucher and find out more about the benefits to you, your family and the environment.
Real nappies have been considerably improved in recent years and are now just as convenient as disposables. So if you are a Colchester mum why not come and find out more and help us reduce the 28,000 nappies buried in Colchester everyday at a cost of over £100,000 per year to Colchester tax payers.
Enquiries: Nicola Thompson at En-form 01206 367776
Recycling Centre launched in Town centre – Press Release 14th January 2002
En-form, the Colchester Environment Information Centre has recently launched a centralised recycling point in the town centre.
The centre at 15 Church Walk, off Head Street in Colchester will initially act as a collecting point for mobile phones and their chargers, inkjet, toner and photocopier cartridges, computer equipment, aluminium foil, corks and batteries.
The aim of this initiative is to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, reduce pollution and to raise money for the centre, its projects and other local charities.
Many people in Colchester are willing to save these items for charity but find it inconvenient to leave these items individually at different charities. This system makes it easy for individuals, companies and schools to drop off everything in one go.
To increase use of this service we are looking for individuals to arrange to collect these items at their place of work, school or group and drop them off at the centre.
We hope to expand the service in future and if anybody has any ideas we would be glad to hear from them. Full details of this scheme are available on the website www.en-form.org.uk.
Any Queries Contact : Roly Castiglione 01206 367776 Andrew Wilkinson