The Environment Agency
in Brampton and Bedford is donating a variety
of office equipment to a charity in Bedford,
to highlight its recycling and reuse policy.
Used equipment, such
as desks, chairs, bookcases and filing cabinets
are being given to Family Groups based in
Bedford – a community-based multi-cultural
group who support women and children who
may experience disadvantages such as language
barriers, poverty and isolation.
Geoff Brighty, Environment Agency area manager,
said: ‘We have recently reduced our office
space in Bedford, following the introduction
of a hot-desking policy to save both money
and the environment, which has resulted
in redundant office equipment.
‘We are delighted to
be able to support Family Groups in this
way and hope this donation will inspire
others to give their old equipment to a
really worthy cause, rather than to a landfill.’
Derry Dynes, chief officer
from Family Groups, said: ‘The donation
of ‘new’ equipment has resulted in us being
able to replace old and broken furniture
in our office.
‘Our aim is to work
towards reducing poverty in deprived areas
of the community and the furniture donated
by the Environment Agency will mean that
money can be spent in more needed areas.’
Environment Agency test
demountable flood defences at Sandwich Quay
The Environment Agency will make the most
of the forthcoming spring tide in order
to test demountable flood defences for Sandwich
Town in Kent on Monday 9 February at 9am.These
defences offer temporary protection to reduce
flood risk.
The Environment Agency
will make the most of the forthcoming spring
tide in order to test demountable flood
defences for Sandwich Town in Kent on Monday
9 February at 9am.
These defences offer
temporary protection to reduce flood risk
until the permanent defences identified
in the Pegwell Bay to Kingsdown Coastal
Flood Risk Strategy have been built. The
strategy has been produced in partnership
with Dover District Council, and went out
to public consultation in September 2007.
The strategy has identified
several options for managing coastal flooding
and erosion between Pegwell Bay and Kingsdown.
It also looks at tidal flooding from the
River Stour in the Sandwich area. Subject
to approval, Sandwich will be protected
from tidal flooding using a storage reservoir
at Broadsalts, which has added benefits
of potentially creating a nature reserve.
Coastal defences will also be strengthened
between Sandwich and Deal.
On the day of the test,
residents will be given another chance to
ask questions about the draft strategy and
other flood-risk issues from Environment
Agency staff, who will have the Floodline
trailer at Sandwich Bay from 8am until approximately
4pm.
Mark Douch, Area Flood
Risk Manager said: “The high spring tide
provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate
these demountable flood defences and show
how they would work in the event of a flood
incident. The coastline is going to come
under increasing pressure over the coming
years from sea level rise and increased
storms due to climate change.”
Anyone who is concerned
about flooding can find out more information
from our trailer, on the Environment Agency
website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk or
by phoning our 24 hour Floodline on 08459
881188.
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Environment Agency staff
clean up Thimblemill Brook
A team of eight Environment
Agency staff got stuck in last Thursday
(29 January) helping to clean up Thimblemill
Brook in Smethwick, a Site of Local Interest
for Nature Conservation (SLINC), which was
featured in a BBC Springwatch programme
last March.
A team of eight Environment
Agency staff got stuck in last Thursday
(29 January) helping to clean up Thimblemill
Brook in Smethwick, a Site of Local Interest
for Nature Conservation (SLINC), which was
featured in a BBC Springwatch programme
last March.
Thimblemill Brook flows
in an open section between Norman Road and
Broadmoor Avenue, Smethwick. The water quality
is poor because, in some places, foul water
enters the brook through misconnected drains
that were intended to carry only rainwater.
One aim of the cleanup was to identify all
the places where foul sewage is entering
the brook, and report them to Severn Trent
Water.
The team also removed
as much litter and fly-tipping as possible
from the channel and flood plain, together
with items such as bricks and concrete.
Suitable materials were re-used to improve
water flows in the brook and the rubbish
was later collected for disposal by Sandwell
Metropolitan Borough Council.
The clean up was planned
as part of the team’s contribution to World
Environment Day 2008/9. Environment Agency
employees are granted two days environmental
leave each year to do work of their choice
that has an immediate positive impact on
the environment.
Since it was featured
on the BBC, the Thimblemill Brook community
has raised £107,000 to carry out environmental
improvements, including landscaping, tree
removal, de-silting, fly-tipping clearance,
and control of Japanese knotweed.
The Environment Agency
contributed £10,000 to the initial
grant ,with a further £10,000 bid
currently being negotiated to fund the removal
of silt from the brook course and balancing
ponds. The work carried out so far has made
big improvements to the banks and grassy
areas but until now the brook channel and
floodplain have largely remained untouched.
Environment Officer,
Jim Woodhall, who organised the clear up,
said: “The clear up at Thimblemill Brook
is part of a personal commitment by each
of us to making the environment a better
place for communities such as the one near
Thimblemill Brook. They have worked so hard
to improve the brook that we wanted to do
our bit to help.”
