Wednesday 30 October 2013

Colchester Farmers Market

 

We have been advised that Thumbs up productions will be filming at the Colchester Farmers Market this Friday 1st November 2013 for a new TV series on Channel 4. We have been asked to advise our customers of this fact and that they may be filmed. Please read the notice from Thumbs Up Productions.


Any customers that want to come to the market but do not wish to be filmed please let us know before entering and we will try and sneak you in with a blanket over your head or something.


We are sure they will be discreet when filming but we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.

-----------------------------------------

Thumbs Up Productions are currently filming in this area.

Please note there is a possibility you will be in the background of filming.

By entering this area you agree to your image to be used in all media, worldwide in perpetuity.

Thanks

Thumbs Up Productions

0207 902 9880

Thursday 10 October 2013

Colchester Green Homes Open Day (New Project for 2014)


We will be running a new project similar to the Open Gardens scheme or Heritage Open Days with other Community Groups in the area.

We are looking for Householders who have undertaken various environmental home improvements and are willing to show their homes to members of the public to encourage them to consider similar improvements to their own properties.

We are now actively looking for householders who have carried out some environmental improvements  to their property and would be willing to Open them up to the public and discuss what impact the improvements have had.

We are looking for all property types but particularly those that are ordinary properties with modest improvements. The main point of the project is to show ordinary members of the public what they can do to their own homes and what difference it will make to their lifestyle.

What we need at the moment are ideas for the event, volunteers and suitable properties. Please post your ideas to this blog and if you are interested in being a volunteer or have a suitable property you are willing to make available e-mail us at greenopendays@en-form.org.uk

Preliminary ideas:

Geographic area: Colchester and surrounding area (20 mile radius)  Hopefully a property from all Colchester zones and surrounding districts

When : Weekends throughout May 2014 from 3rd May to 26th  May 2014. 

Includes: Wide range of houses and also Community Buildings, Businesses, Schools (eco schools, 6th form college) if we can find some.

  • some overview talks/workshops about possible planning issues and the technology itself, i.e. best technology, mixing technologies approximate paybacks etc. Happy to lead on that if appropriate. Lead John Buchanan
  • Can we piggyback with other events (when is Colchester in bloom), Culver Centre Sustainability day (do allotments have open day)

Publicity:

Organising – Recruit homes, volunteers etc.  Press release, social media, direct contact, through companies e those that provide PV etc.

Event : Free Green homes Trail leaflet. Website, event website press release, social media , could we get County Standard to do a 4 page pullout and map

Sponsorship Opportunities PV Companies etc.

Partners: Transition Town Colchester, ECODIY. Colchester Borough Council

Partners Potential: Transition Town Wivenhoe,  Apricot Centre, Colchester Borough Homes

More Information :

http://colchester.greenopenhomes.net/

http://www.superhomes.org.uk/

Project details

Frequently Asked Questions

Volunteer Opportunity

Opportunities for Business

Press Release

Check your energy Deal Now

 

With the first of the Energy Companies to raise their prices by 8% today, now is a good time to review your energy needs for the next 12 months or even longer. (Long term fixed rates still available)

This coincides nicely with the Councils Big Community Switch (see below). Its worthwhile registering as you are not under any obligation to switch but will be advised of the terms they have negotiated.

You have until Tuesday. Do it this weekend.

Alternatively you may wish to check out the market for yourself using a comparison service. We like Eneryhelpline (not least because if you eventually take up an offer from this website, we receive a donation at no cost to yourself and we need the money). All the sites seem to offer the same deals.

Check it out at Energyhelpline

 

Join the Big Community Switch for possible fuel bill savings

Big Community logo

With rising prices of food, travel and services, Colchester residents can now see if they can cut their home energy bills by switching provider in the Big Community Switch.

The Council is encouraging residents across the borough to register before 18 November to be in with a chance of being offered savings.

Signing-up must be done through the easy, no obligation online form at www.colchester.gov.uk/bigcommunityswitch

An email address, along with a recent bill, showing annual home energy usage and tariff, are needed by all residents to sign up.

Shortly after the national auction on November 19th 2013, all residents who have registered will be contacted by the organiser, iChoosr, with details of their household’s offer.  Savings are not guaranteed but for those offered a better deal who then decide to switch, all will be moved collectively to the winning energy company by early December.

Residents can help friends and family without internet access or an email account to save too.  Up to five households can be registered on one email address and the offer details then passed on following the auction.

Recognising not all residents have access to a computer or an email account, a range of support is now available both from the Council and local organisations so more residents can benefit.

From the Council’s dedicated 24 hour automated information line – 01206 507555, to a step-by-step email set-up fact sheet, and information on other ways to cut energy use.

Residents needing computer access or support with basic IT skills can make an appointment at the Signpost Resource Centre at Greenstead Library to help create an email or use their computers.  Alternatively why not sign up for a basic IT course at The Colchester Learning Shop in the town centre.  Learner sessions can be used to set up an email account and register interest in the Big Community Switch.

Self-serve computers are also available at the Council’s Customer Service Centre and the borough’s libraries, subject to availability, for residents to register themselves. 

Click here for information on what help is available and where.

Timetable

Register by: November 18th 2013
Auction will be held on: November 19th 2013
Offer Emails and Letters sent out to residents after: November 27th 2013
Deadline to send you confirmation that you would like to switch: January 13th 2014

Thursday 3 October 2013

New Food Recycling Service Launches in Colchester

 

For all residents of Colchester, the Councils new Food Recycling service is about to start.

Check when your Food waste Recycling Kit will arrive Click here to see when deliveries will take place

We would obviously encourage you to reduce your food waste in the first instance and then compost in your own garden, see www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

For anything left over please support this council scheme.

Details from the Council:

Thanks to the Council’s rollout of its weekly food waste collection service Colchester residents will soon be able to recycle all food waste. 

The borough’s more than 62,000 homes already receiving a kerbside recycling and rubbish collection will have a new food waste recycling kit delivered from 14 October.  Urban streets will have deliveries first, followed by rural areas up to 22 November. 

Click here to see when deliveries will take place in each area and for more information about the new collection. 

Residents are encouraged to look out for the kit, delivered to the doorstep, and start recycling straight away, ready for their first collection the following week.  By Friday 29 November, weekly collections from all these homes will have begun. 

Dairy products, meat, fish, bones, fruit and vegetables, eggs shells, bread, tea bags and coffee can all be placed in the lockable bins, helping residents reduce their black bag rubbish and associated smells.

food waste fish

The kit will make recycling all cooked and uncooked food quick and easy.  Each will contain a roll of approved compostable kitchen bin liners and recycling information.  All residents not already part of the successful food waste collection trial will also receive a small kitchen and larger external bin.

Collections will take place in Blue and Green recycling weeks on each resident’s existing recycling and rubbish day.  Adding food waste collections alongside paper, card, glass, cans, aerosols, foil, clothes and shoes, mixed plastics and garden waste, will make it easy for residents to recycle more.

Residents choosing to keep using liners to contain food waste in their kitchen caddy will be able to get affordable rolls of the approved, compostable liners from local stockists across the borough.  A network of retailers and other outlets has been set up in a partnership led by the Council to support both residents and local businesses. 

Everything collected will be turned into green energy for heat and electricity.  By recycling residents are making a valuable contribution to creating a greener borough. 

Residents in flats using communal bins will be able to start recycling both food waste and mixed plastics when these new collections are rolled out further in early 2014.