County Durham’s Environment Partnership Newsletter: Summer 2018 Altogethergreener Tackling plastic pollution Oliver Sherratt Chair of The theme for this year’s World County Environment Day was Beat Plastic Pollution. Durham The partnership’s themed groups supported Environment Partnership events that took place across County Durham, encouraging members of the Welcome public to swap plastic for more sustainable materials.
Welcome to the Summer edition A Task Group has been set up with Durham of the Altogether Greener University, Durham Bid, The Environment newsletter. It’s hard to believe it Agency and the council to look at ways of has been a full year since I took eliminating single-use plastics. up the position of Chair of the partnership. I’m delighted with all of the projects and events Art and design students from New College which have taken place across Durham gave old items a new lease of life the year. as part of an innovative project which saw them create costumes from plastic bottles. You will undoubtedly be aware of the high profile single use As part of the Reach For The Beach festival, plastics have been getting, dozens of people headed to Crimdon Beach especially since the Blue Planet series brought home the in May to pick up discarded plastic bottles. shocking impact. I am delighted all of the organisations involved in the Environment Partnership are committed to reviewing and reducing unnecessary single use Have you got a project that needs Entries are invited from those who plastics and we have established celebrating? are working to improve, enhance and a joint working group to see how protect the environment of County this can be achieved in practice. Open for entries until the end of July, Durham. The ever popular Environment it is also time, once again, to the Environment Awards celebrate Awards, administered by Durham launch the Environment Awards. environmental projects that have improved County Council on behalf of the County Applications are open until the and enhanced the environment in County Durham Environment Partnership, are end of July, so there is still time Durham over the past year. an opportunity to highlight the work of to tell us about the fantastic those making a real difference to County projects you are involved in. The award categories for 2018 are: Durham’s environment. Please get in touch if you have • Built environment any news for a future edition of • Climate change The deadline for entries is Friday 27 this newsletter. • Community partnership July with shortlisting and judging taking • Craftsmanship place over the summer. Winners will be The contact details are on • Greener business announced at a high-profile ceremony in page 5. • Natural environment November. • Places and spaces • Schools and colleges To submit an entry or nomination please • Volunteer group of the year go to www.countydurhampartnership.co.uk/ • Volunteer of the year - under 18 envawards or call 03000 267 133 for more • Volunteer of the year - over 18 information. • Waste management 2 Campaign update Operation Spruce Up continues to go from strength to strength.
Cockfield, Coundon and Blackhall are three of the areas to be targeted this year. Litter clearance, graffiti removal and planting trees and shrubs are just some of the things to be Worthy winner tackled once an area is identified and teams move in. Congratulations to Durham University student Sarah Mercer Shildon is the next town to benefit from a ‘spruce up.’ who has received a Caring for your Environment Award. More information is available at: www.durham.gov.uk/ spruceup Sarah worked incredibly hard to arrange a public event about climate change and environmental issues in Durham City Young People Fashioning Ideas for the Future during Environment Week.
She received her award from Maggie Bosanquet and Paul Riddlesden who sit on the Climate Change Partnership group.
The Bowes Museum is working with Durham County Council’s Strategic Waste team to deliver an innovative ‘Junk Fashion’ project, having secured funding from County Durham Community Foundation’s Youth Social Apply for a waste permit electronically Action Fund. You’ll soon be able to apply for a permit for your waste The project will recruit a group of young people, aged electronically. between 13 and 20, from Teesdale YMCA and Auckland Youth and Community Centre who will gain fashion If you are visiting a household waste recycling centre with a design and textiles upcycling skills, vocational business van, pickup, minibus or you are towing a trailer, you will need skills and an insight into retailing. Durham County a waste permit. Soon it will be easier than ever to obtain one Council’s Strategic Waste Management Team is providing as you can do it online and a permit will be sent instantly to the second-hand clothing for the young people to your device. upcycle, producing accessories and garments to sell in a one-day pop-up shop in Barnard Castle. All you need to do is create an account, or log in if you already have one, and a permit with a code will be sent to The young people will gain fashion advice and valuable your phone or tablet. This code can then be scanned upon practical skills, such as pattern cutting and garment your arrival at the site. construction, which will be delivered by museum staff and TICE (This Is Creative Enterprise). Look out for posters and leaflets at your local site or log on to www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc for more information. 3
Environment in your community
Improvements to Stainton Grove HWRC
Record year for Stainton Grove Household Waste Big Spring Clean Recycling Centre (HWRC) near Barnard It was a record year for Big Spring castle is being replaced with an Litterbugs watch out Clean. improved facility. More officers than ever before are now trained to issue fixed penalty notices Thousands of County Durham and In addition to a better and much larger (FPNs) to those caught dropping litter. Darlington residents gave up their site, there will be two brand new free time to take part in the most facilities: a shop for used goods and an An extra 14 Durham County Council successful campaign to date. area of the site for small businesses to workers, including head of Direct deposit trade waste. The HWRC is open Services Oliver Sherratt and clean and More than 4,000 people got involved seven days a week. green team leaders, have received in the campaign which is run in additional training and are now partnership with LitterFree Durham It’s expected to reopen later in the year authorised to issue FPNs. and Darlington Borough Council. but in the meantime you can visit one of the other recycling sites. The maximum fine for littering 4,123 bags of litter were collected in County Durham has also been in total and over 272 litter pickers More information is available at www.durham.gov.uk increased to £150. took part.
Climate change
Could you save money by improving your energy efficiency? Newton Aycliffe Working Men’s Club system with the help of a £1,154 (the Big Club) did after they contacted BEEP grant. The club predicts an the Business Energy Efficiency Project 85 per cent energy saving thanks to the for a free energy audit. improvements.
From the audit, BEEP advised the club BEEP is supported by the European “The BEEP team were very helpful to replace the outdated beer/soft Regional Development Fund and works and always on hand to give advice. drinks pump/chiller units in the cellar in partnership with Business Durham, to We’re looking forward to making and bar areas and to look into replacing provide free energy audits, advice and some very good savings on the old internal and external cellar support to SMEs in County Durham. energy.” chiller units. Alan Nelson, Joint Secretary. Contact us at [email protected] or The club replaced the whole pump visit www.beep.uk.net business energy ef oject
Upgraded
insulation Energy efficiency High Street Improved utility tariff Save £££’s Small Business Better Transport boilers Free advice costs 4
Josie Harrington Coastal, heritage and landscape (age 8) and James Kempsey (age 11) who volunteered to help with the clean- Beach clean ups make a difference along the coast up, are pictured.
The Heritage Coast Team has been busy organising litter picks with various schools, businesses and community groups across the county.
More than 500 bags of litter have already been collected coming in from the sea such this year by volunteers who as fishing debris. have organised 17 beach clean ups. There has been an increase in the amount of balloons Louise Harrington, heritage coast project officer, said: “All washing up and the litter has a detrimental impact to wildlife from the smallest volunteers often find shopping trolleys. seabird to the biggest marine mammal, it also makes the beach an unattractive and unsafe place to visit.” The team works alongside other groups such as the Seaham Beach Cleaning Crew who spend the whole day on the The rubbish collected is often a mix of cans, bottles and beach and it’s not unusual for them to collect over 100 bags food cartons that people have left behind, mixed with waste of rubbish in a day.
Local nature partnerships
North East river gets cash boost An exciting project catchment of the Skerne. Brafferton, Barmpton and designed to celebrate the The are, covered by the Darlington. rich history of the River Bright Water Landscape Skerne, led by Durham Partnership, extends over This landscape was Wildlife Trust, has been 200km2 of lowland County formerly dominated by awarded a National Lottery Durham and Darlington, wetlands but many of grant of £2.6 million by focusing on the River them have been lost over the Heritage Lottery Fund Skerne from Hurworth Burn the past 200 years. The (HLF). reservoir in East Durham to project will conserve the South Park in Darlington. remaining natural habitats The project, which has and protect important a total budget of over The project area includes industrial and agricultural £3million, will preserve and Great Aycliffe, Sedgefield, sites as well as providing enhance riverside habitats Bishop Middleham, educational opportunities and historic sites across the Fishburn, Heighington, for the public.
Working partnership creates wildlife haven Clean and Green and Ecology teams from the council are coming together in a project to create 3ha of species-rich grasslands at Framwellgate.
Although still establishing, a variety of wildflowers are already coming into flower including yellow rattle, oxeye daisy and red campion with ragged robin also appearing in areas of the field which are a little damper. Next year, even more plants will flower adding to the visual appeal and wildlife value of the area.
Similar projects are being explored in new sites across the county, gradually creating a network of flower rich habitats that support pollinating insects such as bumblebees, butterflies and hoverflies. 5
To find out more about the County Durham Environment Partnership or to get involved: visit: www.countydurhampartnership.co.uk email: [email protected] What’son... call: 03000 264 712 You can also look out for #altogethergreener on Twitter
www.durhamwt.com/events. £4 per ticket, under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Get clued up on recycling
Did you know free talks and assemblies about recycling and managing waste are available for schools and community groups across County Durham? Life in the Reeds Rockpool Ramble Sunday 22 July, 1–3pm Wednesday 25 July, 10am–noon So far in 2018, 42 talks have taken place covering everything Low Barns Nature Reserve, Seaham Hall Beach, Seaham from rubbish and recycling to waste prevention, reuse, Witton-le-Wear, DL14 0AG. SR7 7AD composting, and the Love Food Hate Waste campaign. Join our warden as we Join us at Seaham Hall Beach discover the secret life of the to explore life in the rocky The talks last about half an hour and can Low Barns reed beds. All ages shore habitat. Find out how be tailored to the needs of the audience. welcome! many different crabs live For more information about a recycling Please book your place at on our coast, discover how and waste management talk please www.durhamwt.com/events a starfish eats its lunch and email [email protected] or £3 per person learn how to sweet talk a call 03000 266 102 after 12noon. winkle. Activities suitable for over five years. Please book your place at Volunteering opportunities www.durhamwt.com/events. Civic Pride Durham Wildlife Trust £4 per child, children must Help us make your neighbourhood Durham Wildlife Trust are be accompanied by an adult. a cleaner greener place. always looking for willing Equipment will be provided. Email [email protected] or volunteers. Get in touch at call 03000 261 000. www.durhamwt.com/ or call 0191 584 3112.
Durham Community Action – A one stop shop for volunteering If you want to gain experience, Young Photographers volunteer in a certain area, get skills for work, volunteer Tuesday 24 July, 10–11am Durham Countryside occasionally or help at one Low Barns Nature Reserve, Heritage Open Days Volunteers off events. Witton-le-Wear, DL14 0AG. Weekends Join us and make your own Email volunteering@ Join our warden as he takes 6-9 and 13-16 September valuable contribution to improving durhamcommunityaction.org.uk call More information about you through how to get those the County Durham countryside. 01388 742 040 or visit perfect wildlife photographs. events happening locally is Visit www.durham.gov.uk/countryside www.durhamcommunityaction.org.uk For ages eight to 18 years. available at: or call 03000 264 589. Book your place at www.heritageopendays.org.uk National volunteering website check out https://do-it.org