Our oceans are dying. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Yet this is what is being reported, world-wide, on a daily basis, and a huge factor in this is our use of plastic – something so ingrained in our everyday lives that it seems unavoidable. Every day plastics that we buy on our morning coffee runs, at supermarkets and vending machines on our lunch breaks are often single-use, and this is where the problem starts. The UN has warned that marine life faces irreparable damage from the millions of tonnes of plastic waste that ends up in our oceans every year, and that climate change – widespread flooding, extreme heat, drought, poverty – could be irreversible by 2030.
So… what can we do to change that?
Well, if you turn to pages 16-17 to see what the children and staff of Westmeads Community Infant School are doing to tackle our impact on the environment!
A little closer to home, we have implemented a few eco-friendly changes at KCS. Firstly, we have just introduced The Crisp Packet Recycling Scheme from TerraCycle, which sees us join thousands of other companies who now recycle the waste of these lunch time favourites. Secondly, we are introducing a new framework based on ‘going green.’
Our national Electric Vehicle Charging Point (EVCP) framework looks to take on board the Government’s pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, by providing schools and other public sector organisations a cost-effective option when it comes to preparing for the future. From initial conversation to installation, our framework will help you do your bit in reducing the carbon footprint.
If we all look to make small steps in our
we’ll undoubtedly make huge leaps towards saving
If
Tarryn Kerr is Head of Professional Services and is pleased to be introducing the EVCP framework this coming summer.
KCS were proud sponsors of the Kent Teacher of The Year Awards. On May 10th fifty top educators, support staff and volunteers were presented awards to recognise their achievements.
SCHOOL SHOUT OUT
As sponsors of the Kent Teacher Of The Year Awards, it only seemed right for our first ever School Shout Out to recognise the award winners who made an outstanding contribution to the children and learning within schools all over Kent. Congratulations!
The amazing staff who won awards at this year’s award ceremony proudly represent some of the following schools:
• St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School
• East Stour Primary School
• Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre
• The Norton Knatchbull School
• Towers School
• The Canterbury Academy
• The Canterbury High School
• Hampton Primary School Reculver CEP School
• St John’s CEP School, Canterbury
• St Stephen’s Infant School
• Dartford Primary Academy
• Wilmington Grammar School For Girls
• Meopham School
• Riverview Infant School
• St John's Catholic Comprehensive School
• Whitehill Primary School
• Dover Christ Church Academy
• Goodwin Academy
• Sandwich Junior School
• Cornwallis Academy
• Tiger Primary School
• The Malling School
• Rainham Mark Grammar School
• The Rowans AP Academy
• Walderslade Primary School Thinking Schools
• Academy Trust Warren Wood Primary Academy
• Wayfield Primary School
• Hempstead Junior School
• Castle Hill Community Primary School
• Stowting CE Primary School
• The Beacon, Folkestone
• Drapers Mills Primary Academy
• Queenborough School & Nursery Rose Street
• Primary School Sheerness West Federation
• St Edward’s Catholic Primary School
Every edition we will be celebrating some of the great things that are happening in our customer’s schools. If you are taking steps to become more eco, have won an award or your children have been involved in something spectacular, we would love to hear about it!
If you would like to be featured in a future edition of the KCS Essentials, then please email a brief outline of your story to jade.sekmen@kcs.co.uk
BESPOKE PRINT FOR SCHOOLS
Our in-house digital print service is the leading supplier of bespoke print to the public sector, with over 30 years of experience, an innovative range of options and award-winning customer service.
Pedestal Fan
406mm fan. White. Height adjusts from 920mm to 1330mm. Tilt and oscillation controls. 3 speeds. 2m flex. 350mm blade dia. Each
24 122 036 305mm. White. Tilt and oscillation controls. 3 speeds. 1.8m flex. 45W. 290mm blade dia. Each £21.15
Tower Fan
Space saving design. Fixed position or 70º arc of rotation. Quiet motor operation. 3 speed control. Timer is adjustable up to 2 hours. Lead 2.2 metres long. Fan width 170mm. H 760 x base width 290mm. Each
Josh is undertaking a level 2 qualification in Customer Service, and his role as an account associate at KCS allows him to complete the training element in the work place, all the while building on current skills and developing in areas to give him a greater understanding of the world of business and working with customers.
Networking with colleagues, developing rapport with customers and growing into his role is the fundamental element to our apprenticeship scheme here at KCS.
Q: How did you find out about the apprenticeship?
A: I found out about the apprenticeship through Connect2Staff and came for an interview.
Q: How long have you been here?
A: I’ve been here for six months now and have just passed my probation.
Q: Why did you choose an apprenticeship?
A: I chose an apprenticeship so it could give me the chance to learn and develop my skills and allow me to become the best I can be at my job. It’s a great way to get started in any business.
Q: What do you most enjoy about your apprenticeship?
A: I enjoy talking to customers and actually trying to develop a relationship with them and I also enjoy working with everyone at KCS – it’s been a good time for me.
Q: What would you say to a young person considering an apprenticeship?
A: In my experience, I played football at a very high level and had to stop due to injury, so I had to find a new job and a new career. An apprenticeship has given me the platform to learn, develop my skills, become somebody who is better and hopefully I can earn quite a bit of money at the end of it.
Multipurpose Labels
With selvage for photocopiers, laser and inkjet printers. Compatible with Windows software. White. A4. Pack 100 Sheets 01 393 001 8
Yellow Sticky Notes
Ultrawhite
A high white multifunctional paper giving excellent runability and greater productivity. Available for scheduled orders. Ultrawhite paper features a higher number of fibres than other leading papers, guaranteeing stiffness and strength and making it an excellent performer in all fax machines, printers and photocopiers. Box 5 reams 01 977 075 A4
2 ply. Cost effective. Blue. 429 sheets. 150m. Case 6
06 467 666
£22.10
Tork Reflex Single Sheet Dispenser
Compact and hygienic. Fully enclosed to prevent cross contamination. 318 x 263 x 265mm. Blue. Each
06 467 222
£9.10
£10.45
£10.45
£12.75
Tork Smart One® Toilet Paper
Single sheet toilet paper dispensing, reducing paper consumption by up to 40%. Hygienic fully enclosed dispenser. High capacity. 1150 sheet roll. 2 ply, white. Case 6
06 100 101
Tork Smart One® Toilet Roll Dispenser
06 100 103 White
£19.85
£9.10
Heavy Duty Refuse Sacks
90 litre capacity. 15kg. 455 x 737 x 990mm. Pack 200
06 809 045
£17.30
Antibacterial Surface Cleaner
Antibacterial. Highly effective against MRSA, listeria & e-coli. Non-tainting and fragrance free. 750ml. Each
2 ply. Recycled. 320 sheets per roll. 11520 sheets. Case 36
06 333 561
£8.70
PLASTIC-FREE!
KCS spoke to Holly Ashton-Lovett, Year 2 Class Teacher and Eco Leader of Westmeads Community Infant School, about how they’re going plastic-free, changing pupil’s perceptions and saving the planet one idea at a time.
Q: What made you start the initiative?
A: Being a coastal school we’ve always really cared about our local environment, especially our coastline, but the big thing for us was the BBC’s Blue Planet series, narrated by the great David Attenborough. Working as part of our coastal alliance, we had an art project which was encouraging the children, and us, to use recycled materials to send a message about the plastic problem; so we decided to use straws from our everyday carton waste. After a little research,
I found a global charity, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), who were encouraging schools to go plastic-free, and that was all the encouragement we needed.
Q: What day-to-day changes have you seen?
A: Most definitely our milk carton usage – the waste that was being thrown away, especially the straws and wrappers. Our milk still comes in recyclable plastic bottles, but we found the lids were a little trickier to recycle. After some research, we found a big highstreet chain that can do it for us!
A big win for us was refilling our whiteboard markers – we found a system that allows us to refill the pen over and over again, stopping so much waste over the year.
Q: What’s been the kid’s reaction to ‘going green?’
A: Oh the kids have been so positive to the changes; in fact, they’re asking for more and wanting more! We’re running an ‘eco term’ throughout the whole school, where individual classes
will be looking at certain areas, such as plastic and deforestation. They’re also writing to local companies about their plastic usage. For example, our free fruit, from the government, still arrives in single-use plastic nets, so we’re writing to them to encourage them to make a change as well. They’re so aware of the plastic problem all around us.
Q: Have the parents seen a positive change in the children away from the classroom?
A: That’s an interesting question. Speaking to parents, they’re commenting on how much their children have learnt and are taking back home, making changes at home. One parent mentioned that her daughter had said that she wasn’t allowed to buy strawberries from Tesco as they are packaged in plastic, and they ended up going to pick strawberries from a local farm, which is a great idea. It’s nice to see the kids going home and passing on their knowledge to their families and friends.
Q: What’s been the most challenging aspect of becoming eco-friendly?
A: In a school, it will always be the budget, and I guess for everybody at home too. It’s finding solutions that are not only really positive, but cost-effective too. Also, certain things aren’t available yet, and people are only just starting to make changes and coming up with different ideas; once those ideas are established, then we can start to introduce them in to the school. The challenge has only just begun.
Q: What’s in store for the future – what’s the next big thing?
A: We want to get our plasticfree status, and we’re working towards the five SAS objectives, and we’re hoping that, by the end of the year, we should be able to achieve that! It doesn’t just stop there though; we’ll be thinking about how we can educate our children to think beyond plastic,
and make everything in our daily lives sustainable. It will definitely impact everything moving forward.
Q: What advice would you give other schools looking to implement this initiative?
A: Go with the children! Hold an assembly, show them pictures, talk about the problem; they’re fantastic at coming up with solutions as they think of things that we, as adults, don’t think
about – they see all the little things going on in schools, so definitely start with them. After that, it’s all about making little changes and educating the parents, as they will help nurture ideas at home.
If you’re interested in finding out what your school could do, and how you could do it, then please go to https://www.sas.org.uk/our-work/plastic-pollution/
FLOOR CLEANING MACHINES
Rotary Scrubber and Polisher
Comfortable to use with superb balance to give exceptional handling. Mechanical soft start for no kick. Easy to transport with large robust wheels. Includes dribe board to fit 17” pads. Each
R16 Scrubber
190rpm for standard scrubbing
056 345 686
R35Polisher
380rpm for high speed polishing
056 345 687
£645.15
£692.10
Heavy duty carpet and upholstery shampooer. Stainless steel wand. Upholstery nozzle included. 2 year warranty. Each 056 037 190 Delivery time 1 week
Large Surface Scrubber Dryer
Cleans large areas such as sports halls. 20m cable. 40 litre clean water tank and 43cm scrubbing width. Heavy duty squeegee for excellent drying performance. Includes scrubbing brush and driveboard. Each
056 044 517 RSD 40/43E Mains Power
056 044 518 RSD 40/43B Cordless Battery Power
Complete floor care system for cleaning, degreasing, stripping, waxing and more. Cleans 1500m2/hour. Inexpensive and simple to maintain due to few working parts. Modular system breaks down for light, easy transport or storage. Includes a microfibre pad. Expand capabilities by adding components and tools. Each
Cloth containers 056 345 667
Delivery time 1 week
Guidance for employers on first aid kits in a workplace environment.
The quantities and sizes of first aid kits to be used in a workplace environment should be determined by the number of people on site and the category of hazard they are exposed to.
The following table provides guidance to help employers ensure they have suitable first aid provision, depending on the number of employees and members of the public exposed to those risks in the workplace.
1. DO A RISK ASSESSMENT.
LOW RISK: (e.g. shops, offices, libraries etc.)
HIGH RISK: (e.g. light engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing, etc.)
2. DECIDE ON THE SIZE AND QUANTITY OF KITS REQUIRED TO MEET YOUR RISK NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
The BS8599-1:2019 Guidelines have been updated and now include recommendations on supplementary kits as an extra resource to British Standard Compliant Small, Medium, Large and Travel & Motoring First Aid Kits.
PERSONAL
ISSUE FIRST AID KIT
Containing basic first aid components for one person. e.g. maintenance, security personnel, cleaners, first aiders, etc.
KCS Code: 09001073 | £4.80
CRITICAL INJURY PACK
Designed for environments where people could sustain a severe injury. Contains items to help manage catastrophic blood loss. e.g. work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments, cutting equipment, power tools, construction, agriculture, forestry, etc.
KCS Code: 059700053 | £125.00
What does the law say?
The Health and Safety (First Aid) regulations 1981 states: “An employer shall provide or ensure that there are provided such equipment and facilities as are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for enabling first aid to be rendered to his employees if they are injured or become ill at work”
The new range of BS8599-1 compliant first aid kits, fully revised for the new 2019 update to the standard. These kits reflect the changes in both workplace practice and risks, making them demonstrably more ‘fit for purpose’ in todays working environments. For peace of mind, the provision of a kit with this updated content is a clear and definitive way for employers to demonstrate they are serious about meeting their legal obligations under the Health & Safety First Aid Regulations.
NEW
BS8599-1:2019 SMALL WORKPLACE KIT
GREEN/GREEN INTEGRAL AURA BOX
LOW RISK: 1 kit for less than 25 employees HIGH RISK: 1 kit for less than 5 employees. CONTENTS
BS8599-1:2019 LARGE WORKPLACE KIT IN GREEN/GREEN INTEGRAL AURA BOX
LOW RISK: 1 kit per 100 employees.
HIGH RISK: 1 kit per 25 employees.
CONTENTS
2 Bandages, Conforming
4 Bandages, Triangular
2 Dressings, Burn
4 Dressings, Eye Pad
4 Dressings, Finger
6 Dressings, HSE Medium
4 Dressings, HSE Large
3 Foil Blankets, Adult
12 Gloves, Pairs
1 Guidance Leaflet
100 Plasters, Washproof Assorted
2 Resuscitation Face Shields
1 Shears
3 Tapes, Microporous
40 Wipes, Cleansing
09001062 BS8599-1:2019 Large Workplace Kit in Green/Green Integral Aura Box
x 35cmW x 10cmD
FIRST AID
Prestan School CPR Training Pack
Small
4 Prestan Ultralite Manikins, manikin disposables wipes 12 x packs 200, medium training dressing x 50, Prestan AED Ultra trainer, 50 lung bags and a carry bag.
059 700 050
Medium
£562.50
8 Prestan Ultralite Manikins, manikin disposables wipes 12 x packs 200, medium training dressing x 50, Prestan AED Ultra trainer x 2, 50 lung bags and a carry bag.
059 700 051
Large
£937.50
12 Prestan Ultralite Manikins, manikin disposables wipes 25 x packs 200, medium training dressing x 100, Prestan AED Ultra traine x 3, 50 lung bags and a carry bag.
059 700 052
Delivery time 2 weeks
£1,437.50
Critical Injury Pack
Designed to provide immediate, lifesaving first aid to someone who has sustained a severe bleeding injury in the workplace. BS8599-1 compliant. Contents:
Simple to use without training. Visual instructions and voice prompts guide the user through each step of resuscitation. 8 year warranty, 4 year battery life or 200 shocks. Comes with adult pads. Each
059 700 054
059 700 055 Adult Pads
059 700 056 Paediatric Pads
Delivery time 1 week
£799.00
£56.50
£75.00
Sick Bags
Waxed lining to prevent
Alcohol Free Hand Sanitiser
Effective against MRSA, H1N1, HSN1 & Norovirus. Proven to kill 99.999% of harmful bacteria. Effective after 30 seconds and lasts for up to 6 hours. 500ml each
