ReNEWS issue 6

ReNEWS

FOR ALL YOUR SHANKS MUNICIPAL NEWS AND VIEWS

FORUM SUCCESS

More than 100 Shanks employees in line for extra holiday boost – P5

WIN!

A Fitbit ChargeHR watch P12 September 2015

OUR FRONT-LINE SUPERSTARS Delighted public give feedback – P9

AWARD-WINNING BRIAN SETS STANDARD

BRILLIANT BRIAN SCOOPS FIRST AWARD No job is too big or small for our go-to guy, who is inspiring and motivating colleagues along the way.

Full story page 3

MAKING THE RIGHT NOISE

Our new facility, the first in the UK to combine two cutting-edge waste-toproduct technologies, is now fully up and running.

The team at our Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) site ensured that full service contract commencement at the start of July went without a hitch… apart from a noise detectable from a small number of local households.

Every area of the site, built to service our £750-million contract with the three councils, is still being fine-tuned by the teams on-site.

That includes looking after a small group of neighbours who have complained of a noise coming from the Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facility.

LINK That is where Beth Baxter (above), the Waste Partnership Contract Manager who works for the three councils as the link between us and our customers, has been busy since we began commissioning in March.

Her role is to make sure we do what we promised for the local authorities we serve and to ensure they know what to expect.

But it has also seen her acting as the independent link between the neighbours and Shanks in the ongoing noise complaint.

Beth said: “My job is to monitor all aspects of the contract to make sure it delivers. Part of the job, since opening, has been to show councillors, officers and the public around the site to help them understand how the contract will contribute to increasing our recycling rate and managing our waste more sustainably.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

2 ❙ September 2015

PETER’S BLOG HELLO…

Welcome to Issue 6 of ReNEWS. It’s hard to believe that we are now six editions in, but I am glad to see that the newspaper is being read and enjoyed across the business, which now includes Canada too.

I’ve been out and about giving business updates at our sites

EXCITING TIMES AHEAD

It’s been a busy summer at Shanks, particularly with our Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) contract reaching full service at the beginning of July. In this edition, we meet members of the team behind the contract who turned the vision of our facility into reality.

BDR is just one of a strong pipeline of exciting opportunities in the UK and North America, and I am genuinely excited about the amount of growth we have in our business and the clarity we are getting on the potential for that growth.

STOP ‘NEARLY’ BECOMING ‘REALLY’

We say it time and time again. Safety is our top priority. We pride ourselves on our safety culture and continuous improvement of our safety initiatives.

Earlier this year we launched our Homesafe initiative, which reminds us to look after each other and ensure we all get home safely each day. Now that Homesafe has launched, it is important that we keep this in our minds. As well as looking out for each other, we can do this by proactively reporting close-call incidents. Close calls prevent the ‘nearly’ accidents from becoming ‘really’ accidents, so we must keep working together to stop them.

WE’RE BACK IN THE GAME Great teamwork by Frog Island colleagues gets our fire-damaged lines up and running This was the moment when the hard work, dedication and true grit of everyone in our ELWA team was finally rewarded.

When Control Room Operator Kevin McNelly pressed the button to restart Line 1, which was badly damaged in the Frog Island blaze, it was the culmination of 10 months of teamwork.

The symbolic reopening of the line means that all lines are now processing waste and producing Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF).

RELIEF The next phase of the rebirth is when the refinement section of the Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facility goes live early next year and the site can once again produce Solid-Recovered Fuel (SRF).

Technical Manager Marcos OteroVega, who worked closely with the Environment Agency to gain approval to reopen Line 1, said: “It was a great moment for everyone and means we

Kevin McNelly back in control.

(Inset) Firemen tackling the devastating Frog Island blaze

are now only four or five months away from offering refinement again.”

The Frog Island team, who changed their working patterns to extract the waste by hand, are now relieved that things are almost back to normal.

Dave Marlow, Senior Engineer,

said: “There is relief that we’ve managed to get up and running again so quickly, but it’s all down to the incredible effort of the teams here and across the business.

“It has been a challenge, but it’s definitely brought everyone a lot closer together.”

AND FINALLY… PETER EGLINTON

… As the summer comes to a close, I hope you all had a really enjoyable break with your family and friends.

We have a lot to do over the remainder of the year and I look forward to working with you to achieve this over the coming months.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Text or email your story to us on:

07860 021367

helen.kemp@shanks.co.uk

The Frog Island reception area, canteen and meeting rooms have all had refurbishment

PERFECT RECEPTION Office colleagues at Frog Island have been putting their best feet forward to keep things running during an extensive site refurbishment programme.

Gurjeet Kaur-Assi, our Business Support Manager, and her colleague Business Support Officer Amy Jennings have been using a rather unconventional entrance to the office while the reception, canteen and meeting room areas get a facelift.

This newspaper is produced by

“The majority of employees have been working from home, but those of us in the office have been using the fire escape to get in and out every day,” explained Gurjeet.

FIRST IMPRESSION “We have certainly been getting a lot of exercise, as we’ve been manoeuvring our way up and down the outside staircase every time we host visitors or receive deliveries.”

Employees at the office, which first opened back in 2007, have enjoyed having a creative input into the design and decor of the building.

“The refurb was due to take place a year ago, but because of the fire at the plant, work only began recently,” Gurjeet added.

“I’m most looking forward to the brand-new reception. It’s the first port of call for our visitors and is set to create a great first impression.”

Editor: Jim Levack; Sub Editor: Kate Feasey; Senior Art Editor: Emma Bramwell; Production Manager: Jo Malby; Editorial Assistant: Emily Craft. VICTORIA COURT, 8 DORMER PLACE, LEAMINGTON SPA, WARWICKSHIRE CV32 5AE. WWW.SUMMERSAULT.CO.UK

September 2015 ❙ 3

MEET OUR FIRST EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER

NO PROBLEM! They’re Brian Francis’s favourite words whenever he’s on-site and asked to do something… if he hasn’t already done it Going the extra mile comes naturally to team player Brian, whether it’s looking for areas where we can improve as a business or just getting the beers in!

And the MBT Operations Team Leader at Hespin Wood is so committed to his job that he takes it personally if we have to send anything to landfill.

Brian has only been at our Cumbria site for four months, but has quickly established himself as the go-to guy to get things done.

His positive outlook on everything we do has earned him the first Employee of the Quarter award, after he was nominated by Regional MBT Operations Manager Colin Walker.

SPEECHLESS The award stunned the 55-year-old father-of-two, who had nominated another colleague for the honour.

“I was listening to Colin saying what this person had done and I was nodding at the chap I’d nominated. Then right at the end he said my name and I was speechless,” he said.

“It means a lot to know that what you do is valued by the people you work with, but there’s no way I could have won it without their support.”

Brian’s commitment to QHSE, customer care and daily organisational skills aside, he also offers an alternative solution if he feels something else could work even better.

Colin said: “He has a good, ethical way of working and is always eager to do the right things.

Importantly, especially where our continuous improvement process is concerned, he will always question how we do things.

MUCKING IN “With his experience of the Hespin Wood site,” Colin continued, “he has not just accepted the changes at face value, but has positively taken the principles and moulded them to suit the site, with some interesting discussions along the way.”

As well as mucking in with all aspects of the site’s smooth

running, Brian also: the site operationally when there was no site manager ● volunteered to be one of the site’s Safety Champions ● launched the daily KPI meeting and weekly planning meeting as part of the new way of working ● drove the successes of our 5S efficiency project and motivated the 5S Champions.

Brian said: “I’m really proud to win the award, but I was only doing my job. Safety and the efficient running of the site affect us all and we can all get involved with it.

“The Employee of the Quarter award is a great idea because it improves team building and recognition, while strengthening the values that Shanks stands for.” ● covered

Brian’s commitment extends to both customers and colleagues, and he’s keen to pass on his knowledge

How he made an IMPACT on the judges INTEGRITY Always eager to do the right things and coordinates with customers and contractors well.

MAKING MORE FROM WASTE Brian has a strong commitment to ensuring all waste is processed by the plant.

PASSION Brian

comes to work to make a difference and is enthusiastic and passionate when delivering plant updates. He likes ‘to get ahead’ when the plant has chance and sets the benchmark for everyone to achieve in terms of production.

ACCOUNTABILITY If he says we will do it, we will. Makes jobs his personal challenge. Not afraid to stretch himself and his team – his

stock answer is ‘no problem’.

CUSTOMER FOCUS He delivers great site tours and tailors his talks to suit his audience. He is very focused on contract requirements, such as vehicle turnaround times and checks.

TEAMWORK Brian has brought the Ops teams together and integrated new team members well by passing on his knowledge and skills.

Eagle eyes to the rescue Brian and his team swung into action when a woman lost her handbag containing thousands of pounds in cash.

The middle-aged woman contacted council officers distraught that her elderly mother had mistakenly put her handbag in one of the black bin bags for collection. She thought the bag contained her purse, which held a considerable amount of money, and the passport she needed to fly to Dubai on a family holiday the following day.

URGENT When the call came in to Cumbria County Council, they checked which bin wagon had visited her home and issued an urgent appeal to our Hespin Wood team.

Brian assembled a crew of site operatives who stopped what they were doing to help sift through the contents of the wagon by hand in the fines building.

He said: “There was a lot of panic

because she thought her passport was in the bag, but it turned out to be only the money. I say ‘only’, there was a lot of money in two envelopes.”

A fingertip search eventually located the handbag, thanks to the eagle eyesight of Telehandler Dave Clarke, and the redfaced customer visited the facility to reclaim her cash.

Colin Walker, Regional MBT Operations Manager, said: “She was so relieved. We didn’t ask too many questions about how she’d managed to lose the bag because she seemed very embarrassed by the fuss caused.

“Brian and his team were incredibly calm under pressure throughout – I’m sure the lady wasn’t though when she realised her mistake.”

The relieved woman left a £100 reward for the team, who added it to the money they had raised for the North West Air Ambulance charity in a recent Keswick to Barrow walk.

4 ❙ September 2015

ONECLICK WONDER

CONTINUED FROM P1 Beth has also been busy liaising with the people who have complained about the noise.

Residents alerted Barnsley Council’s Environmental Health Officers, and we have worked with and kept them, Beth and the Environment Agency informed of developments since.

“There is a problem, it’s our problem, but the fact that we’ve managed to get through to full service without any significant delays is a tribute to everyone here,” Beth said.

THOROUGH “People have said that they can’t sleep, use their gardens or have their windows open. I have kept in touch with them at every stage of the investigation and through the installation of the temporary measures.”

Engineers have switched off the dedusting fans, used noise-monitoring equipment to assess the sound, tested the de-dusting stack and installed directional cameras in a bid to find out where the noise is coming from.

Beth said: “Because I am independent, I can give them a neutral perspective. It is a very quiet area and there are pockets of noise dependent on the wind direction and surroundings. Shanks is working hard to resolve this.”

The latest step has been to fit purposebuilt covers to the biodrying fans and install temporary acoustic barriers to help reduce the night-time noise while a permanent barrier is built and installed.

Check out our new user-friendly Shanks Municipal website

A new website showcasing some of the exciting projects being worked on by the Municipal Division is now up and running.

The site is the brainchild of Vimal Patel, Research & Marketing Manager, who hopes it will be a regular destination for both employees and potential customers.

10

Q Commercial Director is a new role

What does your role entail?

for me and a growth area for the business, so it’s an exciting time. We’ve negotiated an agreement with ELWA that will enable Shanks to benefit if we can make and divert more Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) from landfill.

Much of the fuel we make is currently destined for the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia, where there is a strong demand for feedstock, but we’re also looking at new opportunities.

I’m working closely with my team to look at international opportunities to build waste facilities to provide long-term solutions for Municipal customers. The Canadian and US markets are potential growth areas for us, especially with our experience and capabilities.

Photos: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com; Mitch Gunn/Shutterstock.com

Q

What was the last book, DVD and CD you bought?

Nothing is Impossible – My Story, by the magician Dynamo. I like to read how people are able to get far through hard work and determination, sometimes against the odds.

I prefer the cinema, so the only DVD set I have is The Godfather trilogy. And my mum is Sicilian, so it had to be that.

I listen to various artists and often ‘old’ albums missed out on first time around. I’ve downloaded Bastille, Oasis and Eminem recently.

Q Treat others the way you would want What’s your motto for life?

to be treated yourself.

Q

Your most treasured possession and why?

I’d like to say I possess a beautiful golf

Website creatorcreator VimalVimal Patel Patel gives gives SeniorSenior Payables Website Payables Manager Geraldine Moroney a touraoftour ourofnew Manager Geraldine Moroney oursite new site

He worked for several months to launch the sleeker, sharper Shanks Municipal site, aimed at both the UK audience and new visitors from Canada.

sole focus of providing local authorities with world-class wasteto-product solutions. It is now an international platform for all our local Municipal customers. We WORLD-CLASS did all our interface and graphical Vimal said: “The site was needed to design work in-house, so this was reflect the Municipal Division’s now very exciting.

“We researched what a visitor would want to find out and have designed the site so that everything can be found in one click.”

minutes with…

Richard Tarrant, Commercial Director

swing, but I think people would see through that very quickly. I’ll stick with possessing a positive outlook and decent sense of humour. They’re probably more important when life gets a little tough.

Q

What do you do in your spare time?

I’m a keen golfer as it gets me out and about, I’m a big Arsenal fan (my grandfather worked at the Woolwich Arsenal where they were formed) and I follow my local team – MK Dons.

The last day of the season was fantastic, when MK Dons won automatic promotion against the odds. I’ll make sure I get a few games in next season with my eldest son.

Q

What’s your idea of happiness in life?

Q

Choose a superpower and say why you’d like it?

Watching high-quality sport live. If it involves kicking, hitting or throwing a ball, I love to watch it played well.

Time travel would be great. I’d go back to when Arsenal beat Liverpool in May 1989

to win the title in what is still the greatest ever ending to an English league season.

Oh, and next week’s Lottery draw would be my next trip.

Q

What is your favourite holiday destination?

Easy, Portugal. It’s such a relaxed and peaceful country to visit.

Q

Which three dinner party guests would you invite for an evening and why?

Thierry Henry, the best footballer I’ve ever seen and a gentleman in an industry not renowned for them. Golfer Darren Clarke, a true professional who also knows how to enjoy himself, and Dynamo for the after-dinner entertainment.

FOCUS The site has been designed to convey the great value and service Shanks provides to Municipal customers, where before there was no such focus.

“We ran a programme to research what content our visitors wanted and how everything could be made easier to use,” said Vimal.

“Now the site shows what we do straightaway, reflecting our great portfolio of clients and what we have done for them. We have also worked hard to boost our safety

profile by highlighting initiatives on every page.

“The most challenging part was to make sure it was accessible across a range of devices. That work took the most time, as different elements of the site change across different platforms.”

The site, which launched earlier in the year, has been getting great feedback from inside and outside the business, with customers and colleagues passing on their thoughts to Vimal personally.

“We thoroughly tested the usability of the website before we went live, so I’m thrilled that people are finding the website an improvement from before.”

SEE THE NEW SITE IN ACTION

VISIT IT

www.shanksmunicipal.com

MATT KNOWS HIS ONIONS (WHEN IT COMES TO RECYCLING) Matt Gadsden is growing quite a reputation for making more from waste… in more ways than one.

His passion for recycling came into its own when he spotted a huge pile of furniture and wood about to be thrown out during our head office refurb.

The 31-year-old Overheads Accountant asked if he could take a glass coffee table, cabinet and assorted pieces of wood for his allotment. So don’t be surprised if you’re taking a wander past a plot in Milton Keynes and stumble across a piece from the old Dunedin House.

Matt said: “I used the cabinet and table to build some cold frames and the wood to create raised beds.”

His innovation is reaping rewards, with more than 30 types of food well into their growing cycle already.

Matt said: “My cabbages, peas and runner beans are doing well, thanks to the office refit. It’s incredibly rewarding to grow from scratch and also to see bits of the old furniture being put to use.”

Grower Matt used old wood and cabinets to make raised beds

HOW DO YOU MAKE MORE FROM WASTE?

SHARE IT

Let us know by email to helen.kemp@shanks.co.uk

HOLIDAY JOY FOR FORUM

Our dedicated Employee Communications Forum’s campaigning has paid off for Shanks’ long-servers Long-serving colleagues who have worked for Shanks for more than 10 years will soon be entitled to extra annual leave.

It’s all thanks to the hard work of our Employee Communications Forum (ECF), which has campaigned for the extra recognition for our most loyal employees.

Site Operative Sean Phillips, based at our Elstow Transfer Station and the brains behind the idea, has successfully secured extra holiday allowance for 126 employees.

PROGRESS Leanne Pullen, Forum Secretary, said: “We are delighted to announce that Municipal MD Peter Eglinton has agreed to award long-servers more holiday. Colleagues who have worked for Shanks for 10 years or more will be allocated one day extra and those who have worked for 20 years or more will be awarded one further day.”

The ECF, chaired by Peter Eglinton, features nine members who discuss proposals put forward by their ‘constituents’. Previous successes are the revival of the Employee of the Quarter initiative (see page 3) and the reward of £25 per head for a summer party or barbecue for teams with a high response rate to the Shanks Pulse survey.

September 2015 ❙ 5

NEW GOALS AFTER YEARS OF SUCCESS What a difference 1,826 days can make.

Take a look at three of the key improvements you’ve helped us achieve in the five years since we launched our first corporate responsibility targets.

We aimed to reduce our more serious accident rate among employees by 25%. We have actually improved by 39% by giving our teams the support, training and equipment they need to work safely.

We wanted to increase our recycling and recovery rate to at least 80%. We managed to recycle and recover 82% of the waste accepted by our sites, thanks to our continuous investment in sustainable waste-to-product technologies.

We set a target of increasing our carbon avoidance benefit

1 2 3

(l-r) Emily Babey, Martin Capper, Nathan Price and Leanne Pullen Leanne said the group was really excited by this success and hopes to make continued progress. “We are feeling really positive at the moment. There are many items we would like to feature on future agendas so that the Forum can improve working lives across the business.”

GET INVOLVED And now is your chance to get involved.

The ECF are currently reviewing the number of members for the Forum to be even more effective.

Leanne said: “This is a great chance for colleagues to stand up and make a difference. By joining the Forum, you can represent your region and make sure your voice is heard by senior managers.”

Forum member Sean Phillips plans to spend his extra day’s holiday on his motorcycle

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE FORUM?

STEP UP

Email Leanne Pullen at leanne.pullen@shanks.co.uk

to at least 1.3 million tonnes a year. Our carbon avoidance is currently running at more than 1.4 million tonnes.

But we’re not stopping there.

Our new set of targets will aim to: ● lower risk further by maintaining our dedication to health and safety improvements ● be the most respected wasteto-product company by keeping sustainability at the heart of all we do ● make a positive contribution to life in the local communities in which our sites are located ● develop our people to accelerate growth, providing them with a safe and inspiring workplace.

Peter Eglinton said: “We are now well placed as a leader for sustainability and safety in the industry, but we cannot afford to be complacent.”

OUR SUCCESSES 750,000 TONNES OF WASTE DIVERTED FROM LANDFILL

62,500 EQUIVALENT TO THE WEIGHT OF

LONDON BUSES

Youngsters learn about recycling in our ELWA classroom at Frog Island

PREVENTED

1.4 MILLION TONNES OF CARBON EMISSIONS

358,974 EQUIVALENT TO CUTTING

Previous Shanks and Keep Britain Tidy schemes include a recycling poster competition

POP-UP SWAP SHOP Shanks is set to kick-start youngsters into a lifetime of recycling through a pioneering joint clothes project with Keep Britain Tidy.

The (Re)Love Our Stuff project will give four primary schools in East London the chance to develop their pupils’ enterprise skills by setting up pop-up shops to trade or sell uniforms.

Thanks to part-funding from Defra’s Innovation in Waste Prevention Fund, 9-11 year olds will be given the resources and training to run their shop themselves.

Lizzie Kenyon, Sustainable Living Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Shanks has given us a dedicated education officer, who will run classroom activities and provide resources for the chosen schools.”

CHALLENGING She continued: “The idea is to get children to think about the value of clothes and the environmental impact of how the clothes are made. It is key that the youngsters will be taking the lead in this swap or

sell project. We couldn’t have secured vital funding for this project without help from Shanks.”

Lizzie and the (Re)Love Our Stuff team hope the project can build children’s skills, as well as challenging negative attitudes about second-hand clothing.

“As far as we know, this is the first project of its kind in the UK,” she added.

“If the project is successful, we hope to roll it out in partner schools across the country to shape the recycling behaviour of young generations for years to come.”

RETURN FLIGHTS BETWEEN LONDON AND SYDNEY

39%

REDUCED SERIOUS ACCIDENTS BY

6 ❙ September 2015

SAY HELLO TO THE TEAM MAKIN

THREE INTO ONE DOES GO After eight years in the making and £77.4 million of funding, our Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham waste treatment facility is up and running Featuring the most pioneering waste-to-product technology in the country, the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) waste treatment facility at Bolton Road in Rotherham is unique to the UK, with both Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) and dry Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facilities on the same site. We are now transforming the waste of 340,000 households across Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, diverting more than 95% from landfill and turning it into useful products. Here are the colleagues working at the site and how they’re blazing a trail.

ANDY HARRISON

DENNIS LYCETT Supervisor at Barnsley Transfer Station IN A NUTSHELL Preparing household waste for BDR treatment facility.

“I was promoted from multi-skilled operative at Bolton Road to supervisor at Barnsley Transfer Station, where we can take up to 400 tonnes of household waste every day.

“We sort the domestic waste in about 20 minutes per load so it’s suitable for the MBT process. What’s so good about Shanks is that safety always comes first.”

IN NUMBERS TRANSFORMING THE WASTE OF

340,000 HOUSEHOLDS DIVERTING

96.5% OF WASTE FROM LANDFILL

960

PROCESSING

TONNES OF WASTE EVERY DAY

SCADA Operator Dennis (centre) and his colleagues sort and transfer up to 400 tonnes of waste per day Janette Priestley, Weighbridge Operator, (above left) said: “I’ve been at this site for 11 years, but since Shanks took over, conditions have really improved. We are learning the Shanks way one step at a time.”

KEVIN SMITH Weighbridge Operator IN A NUTSHELL The first port of call for drivers coming to the site.

“We are the first people drivers meet when they get here, so we’re always smiling and having some banter. All the drivers say they much prefer coming here than to landfill as they get a nice reception and know that the waste is being turned into useful products.

We really are making more from waste!

“We get about 150 trucks coming in and out of the site every day. We record their gross weight when they come in and the net weight when they leave and make sure things all tally.”

IN A NUTSHELL Manning the control room, the nerve centre of the MBT facility.

“This centre is the eyes of the operation at BDR. We use eight screens and lots of cameras to monitor the lines. You have to be constantly vigilant.

“The control room has been designed to protect site employees, as people throw away all sorts, including gas canisters, which can be really tricky to deal with. The oddest things I’ve seen are bikes, plastic dog kennels and waste bins that have fallen into the lorries.

“Our job is to ensure vehicles get through the site as quickly and safely as possible. We react to any problems in refinement and keep the whole MBT running efficiently.

We monitor the waste temperature and CO levels, and when you’re dealing with 960 tonnes of waste a day, it’s no easy feat.” (l-r) Andy Harrison and Dave Stocks, SCADA Operator

GRAHAM BLOUNT MBT Supervisor IN A NUTSHELL Overseeing the MBT facility as part of a team of 16.

“Every day of my job is different. As it’s a new site, there is a lot of fine-tuning going on and with this comes challenges.

The MBT is the heart of the operation, so there is always something to be done and modifications to make. I have a great team that specialise in the MBT facility and we are learning to adapt, correct mistakes and make changes. We are always moving forward and trying to improve things.”

September 2015 ❙ 7

ING OUR NEW BDR FACILITY TICK ANDY MASSEY

(l-r) Andy Massey and Darren Hebb, Multi-skilled Operative

AD Supervisor IN A NUTSHELL Running the dry AD facility with four multi-skilled operatives.

“My background is in farming, and supervising the only dry AD facility in England is very different to milking cattle. A German company that pioneered the technology came to train us and when my manager went on holiday, I jumped in at the deep end as I knew I’d have to learn it all sooner or later!

“We have eight 30-foot-long fermenters that each hold 700 tonnes of digestate. We keep the digestate – a mix of the fines from the MBT, leachate and woodchip – at 43 degrees over 28 days and extract the gas that is produced.

The gas is used to generate 30% of the power used on-site. Once this is done, we reuse the woodchip and the fines left over are composted and pasteurised, then used in land remediation.”

MIKE MCGANN BDR Engineering Manager IN A NUTSHELL Overseeing the engineers that keep the MBT and dry AD units running.

“BDR is completely unique in the UK as we have the MBT facility and the dry AD facility on the same site. The AD facility is the only one of its kind in England, so we’ve had a lot to learn when it comes to maintaining the equipment. I look after 12 engineers and our key objective is to continuously maintain the plant proactively.

Keeping everything running is a 24-hour job, 365 days of the year.”

(l-r) Richard Blavins, Mechanical Engineer, and Mike McGann

JULIET WHALING Office Manager IN A NUTSHELL Steering the ship.

“I used to be on the weighbridge, but now I’ve been promoted, I’m the first point of contact for around 40 Shanks and 12 agency employees who work here.

“I carry out the paperwork for risk assessments, standard operating procedures, induction packs and setting up contracts. It’s very varied and good fun because the people are so friendly.”

BETH BAXTER BDR Manager

MIKEY HUNTER MBT Multi-skilled Operative

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHAT BDR DO

VISIT IT

http://www.bdronline.co.uk

IN A NUTSHELL Keeping the place ticking over.

“I make sure the right skips are in the right place at the right time and move them at the right times to keep refinement running smoothly. I’m busy around the place, going from one end to the other keeping customers happy, getting crews through quickly, moving waste to rear of pit, clearing aprons from walking floors, separating the HWRC waste into oversize and mattresses, and tipping the rest in the pit.”

IN A NUTSHELL The oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

“This project has been like my baby.

I’ve spent the past eight years creating the output specification and negotiating procurement, so it’s exciting to see all the plans finally come to life.

“As well as working independently, a key part of my job is liaising with the facility and Ferrybridge power station in West Yorkshire.

“Around 125,000 tonnes of waste a year that can’t be recycled or used in gas extraction here is compacted and sent to Ferrybridge as Solid-Recovered Fuel (SRF), which is burned and the steam used to power homes and prevent the release of greenhouse gases. This is equivalent to taking 42,000 cars off the road every year.”

S

8 ❙ September 2015

THE

FACTOR

Let the battle commence! The Group Safety Awards are back and they’re bigger than ever The entries are in and the panel are ready, as Shanks’ sites compete to show off their safety skills in this year’s Group Safety Awards.

The competition was tougher than ever this year as 14 UK sites went headto-head to showcase their commitment to safety. The total entries from across the Group jumped by 35% to a whopping 46 entries, compared to 34 entries last year.

SHAPE THE BUSINESS After demonstrating massive improvement and driving safety innovation, our Hespin Wood and Wakefield sites have both been shortlisted as finalists, set for the ultimate safety showdown.

Geoff Smallwood, Group Health, Safety and Risk Manager, said: “The awards are a great way to celebrate our

safety improvements and shape the business for years to come. One of the entries last year installed a defibrillator at their site and now we have one in every major Shanks facility in the UK and across the Group.”

MEET THE 2015 JUDGING PANEL

be shown across the company for others to follow,” said Geoff.

OUTSTANDING So what will it take to be crowned winner of this year’s S Factor? “The entries were outstanding this year. People really went the extra mile, using videos and graphics to demonstrate their ideas. The winning entry will be easily transferable across all sites and be in line with our key safety priorities,” said Geoff.

WHITTLING DOWN Our nine Health and Safety experts spent hours in secret whittling down the entries to the final four, who are set to present their ideas to the Group Executive Committee at their meeting. “Each finalist will have 20 minutes to explain why their idea is the best. The Executive Committee will decide on the winner, who’ll receive a trophy from Group Chief Executive (l-r) Peter Dilnot with Bart Peter Dilnot and Tiebergyn of Shanks Belgium, the the submission will proud winner of the 2014 award

PETER DILNOT Group Chief Executive

TOBY WOOLRYCH Group Finance Director

MICHELLE CUMMINS Group HR Director

GEORGE SLADE Group Information Director

MICHAEL VAN HULST Netherlands Commercial MD

PATRICK LAEVERS Belgium Commercial MD

OUR MUNICIPAL DIVISION FINALISTS

SITE NAME Wakefield TALENT Inspiring a safety culture “We have gone above and beyond to bring TUPE colleagues from the council up to scratch on their safety training. We have built a productive safety culture through encouraging closecall reporting. Our customer has confidence that their facilities are being managed in a safe manner at all times,” said Becky Dykes, Transfer Station Manager at Wakefield.

WAKEFIELD

HATS OFF TO MARK From managing our property portfolio to running the trade stands at the Hertfordshire County Show, Mark Robinson is used to covering ground of all types.

Our Head of Property and Insurance enjoys getting back to his country roots when he’s out of the office… by working as a trade show stand steward.

“My job is to mark out pitches for the trade stands and provide a presence on the ground for the 35,000 visitors,” he explained.

“My stewarding uniform is a suit and a bowler hat, so I definitely stand out!”

CROSSOVER Mark said that a varied skill-set is required for his busy roles at Shanks and as a trade steward.

“There is a definite crossover between both roles. You need to have accountability, good teamwork skills, and an awareness of health and safety, whether it be members of the public or Shanks employees.”

SITE NAME Hespin Wood LOCATION Cumbria TALENT Fire safety “Working with Cumbria County Council and local fire teams, we have laid out a pioneering Emergency Response Strategy to prevent fire. We use a thermal imaging camera in the MBT to pinpoint risk areas and have delivered extensive scenariobased training. A comprehensive emergency pack, produced with fire teams, sets this project apart,” said Colin Walker, Regional MBT Operations Manager.

HESPIN WOOD

JONNY KAPPEN PETER EGLINTON Hazardous Municipal MD Waste MD

BEAK CAREFUL EVERYONE!

The London crew enjoy the great outdoors, especially when Hank and Harriet are around

Canadian colleagues follow geese’s example When it comes to staying safe at our head office in Canada, our teams are taking their lead from a gaggle of feathered friends.

Employees at our London, Ontario head office have been awaiting the arrival of their most loyal residents, who set up camp every summer.

“The first thing colleagues ask as they arrive at work in the morning is, ‘have you seen Hank and Harriet?’,” said Accounts Administrator Hilary Warwick.

The nicknames belong to two geese that return year-on-year to the luscious landscape where our Canadian head office is based.

LIFE PARTNERS Hilary said: “We have two ponds here, fields to the right and forests to the back.

I’ve worked here for four years and the geese arrive every summer without fail.”

There is very little risk of predators as the facility is fenced in, making it a

perfect spot for the brooding birds.

“It’s a lovely setting for them. Once geese find a partner, they stay with them for life – it’s quite romantic really,” Hilary (pictured above) continued.

“Hank and Harriet are on top of our health and safety code too as they use the pedestrian crossing to get their goslings from A to B. They always use the crossing, the cars wait and colleagues let the geese and their offspring go first before they step off the path.”

September 2015 ❙ 9

JENKINS L

‘ABSOLUTE DELIGHTS’ Colleagues who go the extra mile have come in for heartwarming praise after a flurry of compliments from the public.

Site operatives from our Jenkins Lane HWRC were described as an ‘absolute delight’ by one woman, who praised colleagues’ ‘high spirits, pleasant demeanour, and helpful and courteous attitude’.

TIGHT-KNIT Ian Hurst, Senior Operations Manager at Jenkins Lane, said his team are always very grateful when the public take the time to write in.

“All our colleagues take great pride in what they do and it’s fantastic when we get written feedback to show the team how they are received,” he said.

“The site is open seven days a week and our operatives are courteous and kind when it comes to our customers.

They are a tight-knit team and always remain professional.”

One customer who visited Gerpins Lane HWRC in Havering went as far as to say: “Your team could give others in the public sector a lesson in customer service.”

LANE FRIZLANDS

Danny Goff and Taylor Halling, Site Operatives at Frizlands Lane, have been described as giving ‘excellent service that really made a difference’ by one visitor.

Iain George, Operations Manager at ELWA, said his team at Frizlands Lane HWRC are in contact with up to 500 members of the public every day. “Our 12 operatives here are the face of Shanks, so they know how important it is to give a good impression. Danny and Taylor are always really chirpy and we often get a lot of comments about their great attitude,” he said.

“I always remind people that without these customers we wouldn’t have our jobs, so it is great to get this recognition.”

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC FEEDBACK?

SHARE IT

Let us know by email to helen.kemp@shanks.co.uk

ANE

Jill sets sights on a barista We’re keeping bean booster our customers so happy that they couldn’t wait to tell us all about it

Satisfied customers say…

“I wanted to make sure you were aware of the excellent service your Frizlands Lane employees give to the public. It made such a difference to my day being treated in the way I was on Friday. Please pass on my thanks to them.” – Elaine Clark “I recently went to Beckton recycling centre. Two young lads were an absolute delight when I went to dispose of some waste. One was on the barrier being really chatty and the other was really helpful and assisted me with my disposal – both were laughing and joking. Their high spirits, pleasant demeanour and helpful attitude made a boring chore more pleasant.” – Paula Lindborg

Fundraising champion Jill Tidswell is set to get her barista on, in a bid to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support on 25 September.

The South Kirby Site Administrator and colleague Suzanne Daykin will be taking over the site’s reception area to sell cakes and hot drinks as part of a nationwide coffee morning.

“We have around 60 colleagues and contractors on-site, along with regular visitors, so I’m hoping to beat last year’s total of £181.50,” she said.

Jill has previously volunteered for Macmillan and raised funds for Wakefield hospice. “The cause is close to my heart as my father passed away in Wakefield Hospice after suffering from lung cancer. The Macmillan nurses do an exceptional job in providing family support and palliative care for patients.”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION

VISIT IT

www.macmillan.org.uk

ON YOUR BIKE! Five sites in five days goal for ‘crazy’ Mike For keen motorcyclist Michael Harvey, a 200-mile stretch on his bike might take around four hours to complete.

But the Technical Assistant at our office in Lochgilphead will be swapping his trusted Yamaha FJ1200 for a mountain bike in an attempt to ride between five Shanks sites in five days.

“I’ve thought about doing the ride for charity for a while, but when I told my colleagues I was finally going to do it, they told me I was crazy,” he said.

EXCUSES Michael decided to stop making excuses after losing a close family member to cancer in February. “I want to do this to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. The nurses’ care was second-to-none and I want to support the work they are doing.”

The joker, who describes himself as ‘18 with 36 years’ experience’, has been training three times a week in preparation for the event.

“On day one, I will be setting off

from our site in Campbeltown, taking the ferry to Portavadie, cycling to our site on the Isle of Bute, then making my way to our sites in Sandbank, Inveraray, Moleigh and Lingerton before ending up in Lochgilphead,” Michael explained. “I know it will be tough, but failure is not an option.”

TO MAKE A DONATION, VISIT MICHAEL’S JUSTGIVING PAGE

DONATE AT www.justgiving.com/ Michael-Harvey9

SOLVING PROBLEMS… QUICKER 10 ❙ September 2015

New working system uses data to help assess site performance and make improvements

quality by cutting moisture content to below 19.8% ● reduce contamination in organic fines to below 2% ● cut unplanned downtime during working hours to below 2.5 hours ● increase shredder throughput to 25 tonnes per hour ● hit a zero incident rate ● see the Bio-hall refinery reach 17.5 tonnes per hour.

Senior Operations Manager Ian Hurst said: “We are processing 750 tonnes of waste every day and are always looking at ways to get better and safer.

“My team in operations and engineering have commented on how

Shanks colleagues are joining forces to improve efficiency and communication, thanks to a new working system called Shanks Production System (SPS).

Following a successful trial at our Hespin Wood site, the team at Jenkins Lane have kick-started SPS using data from Project Evergreen. This data helps assess site performance in a more efficient way, and is used to target areas for improvement and boost communication across the site.

After just five weeks, colleagues are noticing a big difference. The targets are to: ● improve Solid-Recovered Fuel (SRF)

A day in the life of…

Paul Oostelbos, Director of International Business Development

Long hours and lots of travel are the norm for the man tasked with telling the world about the exciting new things we’re doing throughout Shanks.

By day Paul’s arranging meetings with businessmen and politicians, but by night he’s a devoted father-of-four, who is usually told what to do by his two-year-old daughter.

That’s only when he’s back home in his native Netherlands, where he’s a keen cook, beach volleyball player and fan of PSV Eindhoven.

The rest of the time you’ll find Paul talking Anaerobic Digestion and Mechanical Biological Treatment with big city decision-makers in Canada.

And after visiting some of our groundbreaking facilities in the UK,

problems are picked up and addressed much quicker because we can create a better channel of communication and make sure everyone’s needs are met.”

DIFFERENCE Since the project kicked off five weeks ago, SPS actioned 32 issues that needed addressing and 60% of these actions have now been completed.

Ian added: “Before this system was in place, we only had budget targets.

Now we are able to assess performance on a daily basis. By narrowing down on the small problems, we can make a big difference.”

Ian, John Morgan, Performance and

Engineering Manager, Amos Felix, Team Maintenance Leader, and Lee Goodfellow, MBT and Weighbridge Manager, helped launch the scheme at the ELWA site.

Lee said: “The project means colleagues feel they have a greater say on what goes on day-to-day. It makes their jobs easier if we can target problems or issues that need addressing immediately.”

SPS holds regular meetings with colleagues across the site to deliver feedback, and is helped by SPS champions James Jenkins and Darren Humphries, who both work at Jenkins Lane as control room operatives.

Sniffing out possible trouble, but our two guinea pigs had different responses to the tests

Travelling all week between Europe and North America means family time is precious

he is optimistic that our expertise is becoming known globally.

“We are earning a reputation in the UK and Canada for operational excellence and experience in running large-scale facilities, and that is unique to us,” he said.

EVOLVING “We also have an integrated approach, which means we operate sites, but also have a say in how they are designed, so we are constantly learning and evolving what we do. Most importantly though, we are good partners offering local purpose-built solutions.”

Paul’s day is dictated, to some extent, by the nine-hour time difference between Europe and Canada, which is a growing market for our business.

He said: “My job is to identify and develop new projects and facilities for the business, so one week I am in Europe and the next North America.

“Canada and the States are in transition when it comes to diverting from landfill, so we are well-placed – with our expertise in the UK – to grow in those areas.”

But it still takes a lot of talking and hammering out fine details before the idea of building an MBT facility in a municipality can become reality.

“I liaise with Keiron Parker, our Bid Director, the city politicians, officers and construction companies to try to tie up all the loose ends,” he said.

He is currently setting his sights on taking the business into the States, with various tenders in the pipeline.

Paul added: “When I visited the sites in the UK, the one thing that struck me was how knowledgeable, enthusiastic and dedicated the people were.”

THRIVING “A good thriving business is only as good as its people, so we are wellplaced in North America because of what our teams do in the UK. Once our footprint spreads there, success breeds success.”

Once the week is over, Paul returns to his family for some precious time with his wife, three daughters and son.

“It’s hard work and they miss me, but I’m here half the time and when I am, it’s quality time.”

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS When it comes to safely running our facilities, some Shanks colleagues are proving they have a definite nose for the job.

Instead of kicking up a stink about having to undergo tests, Danny Tadd and Glen Ibbotson knew it made perfect ‘scents’ to get calibrated.

In case you hadn’t sniffed out the clues already, our gallant guinea pigs volunteered to be put through their paces with some strangelooking equipment for a very important reason.

RESPONSES The gadget, which looks like crane operating handles, allows experts at a UK-accredited test centre to waft five different-strength non-pollutant gas samples through it to test the operator’s responses.

Danny Tadd, Senior Operations Manager, and AD Plant Manager Glen Ibbotson took part in the tests – and their results couldn’t have been more different.

Danny said: “We had to inhale from the two stainless-steel funnels

and try to tell when a pre-determined dose of a non-hazardous gas was pumped out and whether we detected it in the left or right nostril.”

PINPOINT “We had to say whether we thought we smelled it, whether it was a guess or whether we were positive when they pumped it through at different strengths.”

The test has also been taken by some of our teams at Wakefield and representatives from our local council partners.

The optimum smell rating is between 20 and 80 odour units.

Danny scored 4.5, meaning his sense of smell is so acute that it’s too sensitive from a compliance point of view.

Meanwhile, Glen scored at the other end of the spectrum with 85 units.

Danny said: “It doesn’t mean we can’t both carry out checks, but it simply suggests that if I smell an odour, I will need to get Glen to check it too!”

September 2015 ❙ 11

DAY-TO-DAY DEDICATION Above and Beyond award win for Cumbrian colleague It takes a lot to leave Julia Fisher speechless. So when she was tongue-tied after winning this year’s Group Above and Beyond award, her colleagues knew she was thrilled.

Julia’s outstanding commitment to the development of the business was recognised by the honour, which goes to people who deliver exceptional service on a day-to-day basis.

SHOCKED Julia, Sub-contracts Manager at Hespin Wood in Cumbria, was doubly shocked because she didn’t even realise she’d been nominated. Nick Blake, Contract Director for our Cumbria facilities, put Julia forward for the prize.

“When Nick announced that someone from Cumbria had been chosen and I discovered I’d won, I was lost for words,” she said. “As my colleagues will tell you, that doesn’t happen very often!”

Nick said: “Over the past 12 months, Julia has been relentless in delivering

The reception pit at Sinfin Lane

COME AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND

outstanding support and results for Cumbria County Council.”

Julia’s nomination brief said she has improved business relations and delivered fantastic progress thanks to great communication and attention to detail.

Nick added: “She has been instrumental in driving down performance deductions, historically applied against Shanks by the Cumbria Authority.

This was achieved by developing monthly trackers, improving daily liaison, and by driving performance and reporting improvements across the contract and its sub-contractors.”

Important guests given a tour of the construction progress at Derby liked what they saw.

It was the first progress visit to the new £145-million Sinfin Lane facility for the newly formed Community Liaison Group.

The facility, scheduled for completion by April 2017, will divert up to 98% of waste from families across Derbyshire from landfill.

PROGRESS The visitors, who included local residents, councillors, and Derby City and Derbyshire County Council officers, heard how the facility will create enough green electricity to power the equivalent of 14,000 homes.

More than 200 people are working on the construction and a further 34 permanent Shanks employees will be taken on nearer the opening date to run the facility.

Emma Ray, our Waste Education and Minimisation Officer, accompanied the visitors on the July tour of the construction site, which was led by our construction partners, Interserve.

Visitors were shown progress on the belowground works including the tipping hall, which

IMPRESSIVE The fact that Julia managed to do this while carrying out her daily responsibility of managing the 14 HWRCs across Cumbria made her achievement even more impressive.

Julia enjoys her job, but admitted her role can be challenging at times.

“I think the award is an excellent idea. In most organisations, it’s rare that employees receive recognition for what they actually deliver on a daily basis. It is a great feeling to know that the company and my colleagues appreciate what I do.”

requires an excavation of around 11 metres for the main bunker.

TRANSPARENT Emma said: “They were very interested in the process by which we create fuel from waste, but also in how we intend to help local schoolchildren and community groups to be more aware of, and involved in, waste management through our education centre.

“There has been some opposition to the site, including fears that lizards’ habitats might be affected, but we have always tried to be transparent and this visit hopefully reinforced to people that good site control measures are addressing their concerns.”

PARTNERSHIP The facility, the product of a 27-year partnership with the two councils, will feature biodrying, recycling and gasification technologies to treat up to 200,000 tonnes of waste a year.

Emma added: “The visitors were also keen to find out how the finished facility will help the community and generate green power. It’s always important to keep our neighbours informed about what we do and how we do it.”

CAVEMAN’S FLIGHT OF FANCY The future will be plane-sailing for Facilities Co-ordinator John when he retires next year For John Snape, retirement will be more about building planes than flying away on one.

“I am a trained engineer, so I love using my hands. I got a great deal of satisfaction repairing the recycled furniture we used to have at the Milton Keynes offices,” he said.

John has been our Facilities Co-ordinator at Dunedin House for the past 13 years and

decided, with a little help, to push back his retirement to 2016.

The 65-year-old said: “My daughter is an accountant and persuaded my wife of the benefits of me working an extra year.

In my house, what the women say goes!”

FANTASTIC John is looking forward to retreating to his self-styled man cave next summer, where he has installed racking and a workbench to toil away on, building model aircraft.

“My parents moved to Spalding in Lincolnshire in 1961 and because the land was so flat, the RAF used the area for low flying practice. I thought the planes

were fantastic and would spend all my pocket money on models to match them.”

As a youngster, John dreamed of being an RAF pilot, but chose to do an engineering apprenticeship at The College of Aeronautics, Cranfield instead.

He said: “That way, I could combine my two passions, engineering and planes.

“My wife is relieved I have got my man cave as she doesn’t want me getting under her feet with my models.”

And John has other plans too for when he finishes at Dunedin House.

“I am planning to join a local Old Man’s Club that goes around fixing things up, so in one way, I will be living the Shanks’ values even in retirement!” he said.

WIN! 12 ❙ September 2015

Need some extra motivation?

Q With the summer drawing to a close, you might need some extra motivation to tie your laces and head out for a run. Cue the Fitbit chargeHR. This savvy smart watch does everything, from tracking your heart rate and analysing workouts to monitoring your sleep and syncing to your smartphone, so you will be able to see your progress at the click of a button*.

For your chance to win this sleek gadget, text or email us with your answer to the question above.

What percentage of household waste is our new BDR facility diverting from landfill?

Here’s a clue - the answer features somewhere in this issue of ReNEWS. All entries must be submitted by the closing date of 31 October and when you submit your entry, make sure to give us your name and contact details.

*Data automatically and wirelessly syncs stats to your computer and leading smartphones

A Fitbit chargeHR watch

TEXT: 07860 021367 EMAIL: shanks@summersault.co.uk TERMS AND CONDITIONS: The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. ReNEWS reserves the right to change the prize without prior notice. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE – JUST FOR FUN! Put your observation skills to the test. Here are two pictures of Legal Services Manager Jo Lewis tying the knot with Richard Ernest. The reception was held at the Embankment Hotel on the River Ouse, but all is not as it seems.

Can you spot the five differences between the two pictures?

Childcare Voucher Scheme will not be affected by the government’s Tax Free Childcare Scheme until 2017, after the new legislation was pushed back. The Childcare Scheme could save single parents or families where both parents work up to £2,000 per child. Find out more at: www.shanksfruitful.co.uk Our head office has cut down printing by 47.5%, thanks to IT Project

TRIGGER MORTIS

Anthony Horowitz (8.9.15)

Bond is back, in print and on screen this year, with Anthony Horowitz breathing life into never-before-seen Ian Fleming scripts. Horowitz is set to delight diehard 007 fans and attract new readers with the trademark mix of fast cars, feisty women and good old sabotage. The plot starts at Germany’s infamous Nürburgring racetrack, but, as ever, when Bond is involved, events take an unexpected turn.

FACT

IAN FLEMING PUBLISHED HIS FIRST BOND NOVEL, CASINO ROYALE, IN 1953. THE FIRST EDITIONS SOLD OUT IN A MONTH AND WERE PRICED AT AROUND 52 PENCE.

LUTHER

BBC One (October 2015)

Idris Elba returns for the fourth time in a two-part mini series as our favourite on-screen cop, DCI John Luther. For those who need catching up, Luther is an obsessive detective, solving murders for the Serious and Serial Crime Unit.

Luther is known to act on impulse and do what it takes to capture suspects, even if that means bending the rules. This series will feature new additions to the top-notch cast, but is set to captivate audiences as before.

Who’s in it? Idris Elba (Prometheus, The Wire) Michael Smiley (Ripper Street, Wire in the Blood) Dermot Crowley (Hunted, Babel).

EDITORS

In Dream (2.10.15)

Editors have revealed the land date of their fifth album after a two-year break. The indie-rock five-piece from Stafford have had two number one albums, with hits such as Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors reaching the top 10 in the charts. With a raw and gritty sound, haunting melodics and powerful lyrics, In Dream is one to watch out for.

If you like… Joy Division and Interpol, you will love Editors.

SICARIO

Cert: 15 (9.10.15)

Answers: 1) Brideʼs bouquet 2) Groomʼs tie 3) Swan on lake 4) Groomʼs buttonhole 5) Brideʼs hair

Parents enrolled in the Shanks

COMING SOON…

…

Manager Rebekah Hartley, who said: “I knew something had to be done when data showed we were printing 73,000 sheets each month. Now we are being extra conscious to cut back.”

Congratulations to our team in London, Ontario who have clinched a three-year contract renewal to turn the City of Toronto’s 37,500 tonnes of Source Separated Organics a year into nutrient-rich compost.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt star in this action thriller narrating the war on drugs at the US/Mexican border. Kate Macer (Blunt) is drafted in as a specialist FBI agent, but soon gauges she may be out of her depth as the death toll rises. Head of the police task force Alejandro (Del Toro), cuts a mysterious figure and Macer must decide if he can be trusted before it’s too late.

Most likely to hear: ‘What have I got myself in to?’

Less likely to hear: ‘Just another day in the office.’

LAST ISSUE’S WINNER! Apologies for a misprint in the last issue, the winner of Issue 4’s Canon IXUS 265HS Camera was in fact Matt Currie from Locharmoss. Well done to Nicola Findon at Dumfries, the lucky winner of last issue’s first prize, a BillyOh Garden Grill Barbecue, and runners-up Simon Betts at Dunedin House and Ross O’ Leary at Wakefield, who each won a Portland Kettle Charcoal Barbecue after correctly answering last issue’s competition questions.

GOT A STORY? Text or email us:

07860 021367

helen.kemp@shanks.co.uk

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