LIFE+ Up and Forward Project: Case Study B7 Faith Area: Salford Date: June 2014 LIFE11 ENV/UK/000389 Contents Page 1. Executive Summary 2 2. Introduction 5 3 Campaign Area 6 4. Demographics & Acorn Data 8 5. The Approach to the Campaign 10 6. Results 19 7. Conclusion 26 8. Key Learning Points 27 1 Section 1: Executive Summary 1. Introduction 1.1 As part of the EU LIFE+ project Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) has carried out a 42 different communications campaigns across nine Districts within Greater Manchester (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford). Each campaign has had slightly different focus, targeting sections of the community that have traditionally been hard to reach, making the success of recycling schemes in these areas particularly challenging. This project enabled GMWDA to target smaller groups, generally around 1500 households, with much focused recycling messages. This allowed a variety of communication methods and messages to be piloted and the impact of each to be monitored. The project started in June 2013 and ran until January 2015 across nine Greater Manchester Districts. The project is split into 12 campaigns covering one of the four following themes: a) Households – focused on communities in disadvantaged areas; b) Students and Short lets – focused on those areas with a high level of rental properties or student rental accommodation; c) Faith and Culture – focused on those areas with a strong religious or cultural background; and d) Apartments – focused on those areas with a high level of low rise or high rise apartments. 1.2 The culture communication campaign reported on in this case study was carried out in the Patricroft area of Eccles It targeted 1301 households and was initiated to explore whether religious beliefs, core attitudes and the way of life promoted by particular faiths can influence communities waste prevention and recycling behaviour. 1.3 The campaign involved engaging with a community following the Christian faith. By engaging with faith groups and leaders the campaign was able to develop innovative ways to increase recycling participation rates across this community. Engagement was supported by social housing providers and the campaign was also able to engage with the local Castle Community Centre, two primary schools (Christ Church Primary School and Lewis Street Primary School), Incredible Edibles (a community planting activity) and finally with the residents in Patricroft. The following also took place; engagement days which hosted activities such as information stands, skip days, bin cleaning, numbering of bins and community planting events; and an art competition at the two selected primary schools. 1.4 Monitoring the impact of the campaign took place in a variety of ways. The number of households that were actively recycling was monitored and any change in the yield of recyclable materials collected in the area was calculated. Targets were set to increase both the set out rates in the study area and the weight of recyclable waste collected. These targets, and the formula used to set them for all of the GMWDA / EU LIFE+ projects are explained in more detail in the project handbook document. 1.5 The organics set out rates increased, however the amount of material collected decreased. The decrease in weight of organics collected could be due to the timings of the monitoring activities. The pre was carried out in June and post in 2 October; the latter timeframes are most likely to yield lower quantities of organics waste due to the inactive growing season. The set out and weight of both the pulpables and commingled waste streams decreased, however, industrial action and school holidays could be mitigating factors. It is therefore hard to say what sort of success the campaign has had on changing residents’ behaviour. Although it is clear that the community interaction and events held brought residents together and hopefully got them thinking about waste disposal habits. 1.6 Religious leaders and charitable organisations of the area welcomed the campaign and worked hard to disseminate throughout the community. They have a heavy influence on the community, many of which see them as role models, their involvement in the campaign helped Project Officers to gain community support and access to schools and parish groups. 2. Aims of the Campaign 2.1 The aim of the faith campaign was to increase recycling in low performing areas that have a high proportion of a particular faith and where the place of worship is the focal point for the community. Key objectives were as follows: a) increase the level of recycling for all of the current materials collected; b) raise awareness of the importance of recycling; and c) embed recycling behaviour within identified low performing areas. 3. Key Facts 3.1 The total cost of delivering the activity was €10,093.09 (£8364.04), of which €7,341.02 (£6,079.82) was personnel costs and €2.752.07 (£2.284.22) was consumables. GMWDA received 50% towards the total cost of this activity from the EU LIFE+ programme. 3.2 411 hours spent delivering the campaign. 3.3 Two faith led focus group were held; which led to the launch of the campaign theme ‘Respect’ following the bible principles of ‘Stewardship’. 3.4 Two ‘Respect’ campaign school assemblies were presented. 3.5 Two presentation assemblies for the winners of the ‘respect’ banner colouring competition were held. 60 Primary School children entered the ‘Respect’ banner colouring competition. 3.6 Two religious leaders fully supported the campaign. 3.7 Two volunteer recycling ambassadors were recruited with one being one of the youngest recruited across all campaigns at the age of 15 years. The young volunteer was an asset an inspired other youths within the parish/campaign area. 3.8 Three campaign banners were displayed in the campaign area for three months post campaign. 3.9 1,000 ‘Respect’ Campaign fridge magnets distributed to the campaign community. 3 3.10 An ‘Action Week’ event was organised which involved two volunteers, Local Authority Officials, Social Housing landlords, Charity organisations, community groups and local business enterprises, along with Life+ staff. 4. Results 4.1 Set Out Monitoring Set out rates for the pulpables and commingled waste streams decreased post campaign, therefore failing to meet the targets set. The pulpables collection decreased by 17%, from 51% (pre) to 34% (post) and the commingled decreased by 16%, from 49% (pre) to 33% (post). Positively, the set out of the organics waste stream increased post campaign from 20% (pre) to 22% (post). 4.2 Weight Monitoring The weight of all recyclate collected decreased post campaign. The pulpables materials collected decreased marginally following the campaign, from 3.69 tonnes to 3.52 tonnes, failing to meet the target set of 3.97 tonnes. The weight of the commingled materials collected also decreased from 3.67 tonnes to 2.98 tonnes, failing to meet the target set of 4.02 tonnes. The organics material collected decreased from 12.09 tonnes to 6.90 tonnes, therefore failing to meet the target set of 15.05 tonnes. 4.3 Targets The weight of pulpables materials collected decreased following the campaign, with the weight of waste collected decreasing from 3.69 tonnes to 3.52 tonnes, which is 88.61% of the target set. The weight of commingled materials collected decreased also, with the weight of waste collected decreasing from 3.67 tonnes to 2.98 tonnes, which is 74.91% of the target set. Finally the weight of organics materials collected decreased following the campaign, with the weight of waste collected decreasing from 12.09 tonnes to 6.90 tonnes, which is 45.84% of the target set. 4 Section 2: Introduction 2. 2.1 The faith campaign is one of 12 campaigns run by GMWDA’s Up and Forward project. Each campaign has had slightly different focus, targeting sections of the community that have traditionally been hard to reach, making the success of recycling schemes in these areas particularly challenging. 2.2 The campaign targeted 1301 households in the Patricroft area of Eccles to raise awareness of the importance of recycling, embed correct recycling behaviour and increase recycling rates across three waste streams – pulpables, commingled and organics. It ran for 22 weeks from June 2014 until October 2014. 2.3 As many faith groups tend to have a religious focal point in the area, and religion has a deep meaning, the campaign looked to explore whether their religious beliefs could be aligned to pro recycling behaviour. To help promote the recycling message, the campaign sought support from community and faith leaders and religious group from the Christian faith. Religious gatherings were used as focal points for the campaign and community ambassadors were recruited to carry out local research to understand the practices and obstacles to recycling. Whilst traditional methods of delivering a recycling message were still used, this campaign focused highly on ‘face to face’ engagement, through schools, church workshops, community events and ‘door to door’. 2.4 As a result of feedback received early on in the campaign an ‘Action Week’ event was organised for August 2014. This involved two volunteers, Local Authority Officials, Social Housing landlords, Charity organisations, community groups and local business enterprises, along with Life+ staff. The campaign had a positive impact on the campaign area and resident awareness. The ‘Action Week’ involved: a) information, distribution and activities via an on-street ‘pop-up’ stand; b) removal of large items including a charitable furniture collection service; c) bin cleaning; d) bin marking/paint spraying; e) door to door step engagement; f) community planting activity; and g) litter picking. 2.5 It was expected that over the duration of the campaign residents would feel empowered to tackle their own waste, improving recycling rates in the area.