Jane
Nower - 14-May-2008 - The Environment Agency
took action to clear several fallen trees
from a local tourist attraction on the River
Mole earlier this week, after a plea from
the National Trust.
The three Ash trees
were blown down during storms in March 2008
and blocked a walk way of stepping stones
at Box Hill.
A team of seven operations
delivery staff were on site, with workers
using two seven tonne tractors to remove
the timber, which was cut up with chain
saws.
Peter Creasey, National
Trust warden said:
“It is great that the
Environment Agency responded to our request
to remove the tree. Many people walking
the North Downs Way use the Stepping Stones
at Box Hill to cross the River Mole, and
this tree was obstructing the walkway. Our
National Trust team are working with the
Environment Agency to remove the chunks
of timber from the site.”
Steve Scott, Environment
Agency operations delivery management team
leader said: “Before work started, our conservation
and fisheries officers confirmed that the
work - which involved the tractor entering
the watercourse - would not have an adverse
affect on the site. Not only is it a site
of special scientific interest but we had
to make sure that the removal would not
cause any problems during fish spawning
season. Hopefully this clearance work will
mean that walkers are safely able to cross
the river again.”
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Environment Agency confirms
Acting Chief Executive
National Press Office
- 15-May-2008 - The Environment Agency today
(Thursday) confirmed that Dr Paul Leinster
will become Acting Chief Executive when
its current Chief Executive, Barbara Young
leaves to join the new Care Quality Commission
at the end of the month.
The confirmation follows
the Secretary of State for Health’s announcement
that Barbara Young will be the shadow Chair
of the new organisation.
Dr Leinster, who has
been with the Environment Agency since 1998
and is currently its Director of Operations,
will take up the post while the process
to find a permanent replacement is completed.
Sir John Harman, Chairman
of the Environment Agency said: “The Board
and I wish Barbara Young well in her new
role and we have complete confidence that
Paul Leinster will take the Environment
Agency forward. The search for Barbara’s
permanent successor will begin when our
new Chairman joins in July.”
Paul Leinster said:
“I am very honoured to be asked by the Environment
Agency’s Board to take up the role of Acting
Chief Executive. I look forward to the challenge.
Barbara has done an outstanding job as Chief
Executive and is a tough act to follow.
I will look to build on her considerable
achievements.”
Barbara Young said:
“I am proud of what we have achieved for
the environment in my 8 years here at the
Environment Agency. It is a real force for
good in creating a better place. I plan
to continue my involvement in environmental
issues through my voluntary sector and parliamentary
work.
“In Paul I leave the
Environment Agency in very experienced and
capable hands and I wish him well in the
role.”
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Environment Agency lends
a hand at Bedford Gurdwara
Rita Penman - 15-May-2008
- Staff from the Environment Agency have
today, (Thurs 15 May), dedicated one of
their annual green leave days to helping
create a garden and play area at the new
Guru Nanak Gurdwara (Sikh temple) in Bedford
as well as increasing cultural understanding
across communities.
Area manager, Chris
Howes, and a team of volunteers from the
Environment Agency office in Bedford spent
the day with Mr Jammu - General Secretary
of Guru Nanak Gurdwara (GNG) and the community
centre management committee, at the new
GNG in Ford End Road, Queens Park, to learn
about the temple and to lend a hand.
Chris said: ‘Each year
we get two days leave to go out into the
local community and get involved with projects
that we wouldn’t normally be able to, making
a difference to the environment, both for
people and wildlife. This year we have been
able to combine this with an opportunity
for some of our staff who are not Sikhs
to learn about Sikhism too.
‘We are really delighted
to have been able to give our time and effort
to the temple project and I hope the garden
and play area will be enjoyed by many for
years to come.’
Every employee at the
Environment Agency is given two days green
leave each year, which they can use to volunteer
to get involved in community projects and
make a real difference to the local area.
The green leave used to help create the
temple garden is part of the Environment
Agency’s commitment to diversity, aiming
to attract and retain people from all parts
of the community.
Mr Jammu at the temple,
said: ‘The GNG management committee and
the local community is very thankful to
the Environment Agency for their initiative
to undertake Sewa (voluntary work) at the
garden and play area which will offer huge
benefit to the local community.
‘Also this will offer
social, cultural and religious understanding
as well as a great help to our charity.’
Notes for editors
A ‘Gurdwara’ is the
place where Sikhs come together for congregational
worship and religious ceremonies. It is
also used as a place to learn spiritual
wisdom, for children to learn the Sikh faith,
ethics, customs, traditions and texts and
as a community centre offering food, shelter,
and companionship to those who need it.
The literal meaning
of the Punjabi word ‘Gurdwara’ is the residence
of the Guru, or the door that leads to the
Guru. In a modern Gurdwara the Guru is not
a person, but the book of Sikh scriptures
called the Guru Granth Sahib.
It is the presence of
the Guru Granth Sahib that gives the Gurdwara
its religious status, so any building containing
the book is a Gurdwara.
Bedford Gurdwara
The Gurdwara in Bedford
is one of the largest Sikh temples in Britain.
It opened in April 2007 and took three years
to build at a cost of £4 million.
