RUSHENDEN. The IFORE UK event was held at Castle Connection (Queenborough) on the 10th and 11th June. This was directed at members of the Rushenden community, locals authorities, professionals and members of AmicusHorizon staff.
The programm included three briefing sessions by members of the IFORE team on the 10th, as well as film projections throughout the day. The thematic and chronological exhibition, which retraces the project, its objectives and results, was set for the two days and visited on the 11th June by several classes from local schools. The exhibition also included a "tree of knowledge" built by Rushenden residents - adults & children - which showcased all the energy saving advice they have learnt since the beginning of the project.
Also displayed , a board where visitors were encouraged to post their comments on the project and the event. "Everything that's been learnt through the IFORE project will inform how we work to improve homes in the future. Working with the French Housing Association has shown us a range of construction methods we'd not considered before", said Jane Porter, Executive Director of Operations at AmicusHorizon.
At a meeting of the Rushenden’s IFORE coffee club, on 27th June, its regular members finalized the “Community Blanket” they started working on six months ago for the small children of the reading club. This warm cover is made of scraps of wool gathered from around the community and put together by the members of the coffee club. “We can call it an intergenerational “community blanket””, says Tina Miles, AmicusHorizon Community Investment Manager in Rushenden; everyone has brought a piece to add to this recycling project. It has enabled older residents to create a link with the youngest members of the community. They discuss issues facing children today and what kind of world they will have. The children appreciate the encouragement and try to achieve even more”.
The IFORE coffee club is a regular meeting point where residents in Rushenden can drop in for a chat. Every Thursday morning, the IFORE team manages this support group around energy matters and other issues raised by the participants. “We suggest subjects, explains Tina, for instance, about what appliances we should buy, or about the IFORE works that are going on. Recently, I raised the question about Energy Ambassador training and a French course that we plan to start in July.”
Teynham Primary School held their Energy and Technology day on 7 February, in conjunction with IFORE Energy Champions. Some of the topics studied included recycling, climate change, seaweed as a future fuel, homes of the future and nuclear power. Parents, staff and children from other schools visited during the day.
Deputy Head, Darren Waters , said: "We were really pleased to welcome the IFORE team to Teynham. From organising the delivery of a solar panel for the children to investigate, to co-ordinating and running workshops and involving children, staff and parents alike in learning about easy ways to save energy, much of the focus on the environment has been supported and enhanced by IFORE's resources, knowledge and expertise."
The school has been involved in many events as part of the Energy Champions project this year,, which has enabled as a result, both to raise awareness and save money.
RUSHENDEN. Malcolm Dalton, one of the IFORE residents in Rushenden has come up with a clever idea to make his home look more lovely whilst also re-using items. Mr Dalton noticed that the contractors who were doing retrofit works to his home as part of the IFORE project were simply throwing away the old guttering. So with a little bit of environmentally friendly thinking he asked whether he could keep the old guttering, cleaned them, screwed them to his fences at the front of his property, then filled them with compost and finally filled them with flowers!
RUSHENDEN. A young teenager aged 17, Melissa Ralph, has been recruited for an Administration Apprenticeship at Swale Heating, one of the contractors working on the Ifore project in Rushenden, becoming AmicusHorizon’s first resident, of a planned 25, to find work through the IFORE project.
This is the result of an ongoing process: right from the start of the project, Melissa attended Ifore youth groups and events and started work on her Energy Champion badge, becoming one of the first Energy Champions.
Earlier this year, Melissa became an official volunteer with the project, working with the Education Officer to deliver the Energy Champion programme in schools, and also with general office and event planning roles.
Melissa was then put forward for an interview with Swale Heating and in July, she was successfully accepted to complete an Administration Apprenticeship.
KENT. On 13th July 2012, over 150 visitors visited the stall held by the Ifore team at the Kent County Show in Detling. They asked for information on how the Ifore project is saving energy and money for residents in Rushenden and Swale, and joined fun energy related activities with the sustainability Education Officer, Caroline Winstone.
Over 70 smoothies were made that day with one of the main highlights, the smoothie bike, where visitors could have a go at cycling to show how much physical energy was needed to churn up a fresh fruit smoothie! Helen Taylor and Jenny Baker, really enjoyed the stall, and said that the Ifore stall was “the most useful in the whole Show!”.
RUSHENDEN. Several schools in the Rushenden area ran their Eco and energy champions events at the end of May. In Eastchurch All Saints, 200 children – the whole school – received their Level One Energy Champion badges. In Lansdowne School, on 25 May, the day began with a No Power hour (modeled on Earth Hour) when everything was switched off for an hour causing a lot of discussion among the children and highlighting our reliance on energy. This was connected with climate change, local food and recycling and making objects from recycled materials with Sioux Peto from Litter Angels.
In Milton Court, the Energy Champions work was launched on 30th May and children chose many of their own Energy Champion activities: a pedal generator workshop in the hall (hosted by Realevents (www.c-realevents.co.uk) had the children cycling to power up sound systems, lights etc. and an inflatable man that would fall over if they didn’t keep going!
RUSHENDEN. On Saturday 26 November 2011, AmicusHorizon hosted an event explaining IFORE energy saving measures to local residents.
The event gave staff, contractors and suppliers the chance to meet local residents. They talked about the aims and expectations of the project. Residents enjoyed demonstrations of the low-carbon measures due to be installed in their homes. They also learnt how to make their daily behaviour more 'green'.
Brian Horton, Strategic Housing Advisor, Kent County Council said: "This is an excellent event. It clearly demonstrates both the value of the project and the care being taken in the joint working with local people."
Andrew Creed, Vice Chair of the AmicusHorizon Residents‟Council said: "The project will have a fantastic impact among Rushenden residents. It‟ brilliant AmicusHorizon are fitting these energy efficient measures into residents‟homes. It‟ been so interesting working with the French housing association too. It really shows how we can work together on energy saving best practice on an international level."
RUSHENDEN. On Wednesday 14 September 2011, at Rushenden Community House, Sittingbourne, William Miller, AmicusHorizon Community Development Director, presented nine young people aged between 6 and 12 with their level one Energy Champion certificates and badges after they completed their tasks over the summer.
The champions showed off their energy knowledge by giving tips to family and friends about money saving and recycling.
Youngest Energy Champion , Owen Tillet (6) was asked 'Tell us something about being an Energy Champion' to which he replied: 'Make sure you keep the windows and doors shut or the heat will get out and melt the ice caps and the polar bears won’t have anywhere to live and could die'.
AmicusHorizon and the Innovation for Renewal (IFORE) community programme want this to be the start of Swale's next green generation.
William has high hopes for the future: "This is the start of a fantastic community project. Our aim is to for Swale to have 3000 energy champions by the start of 2014".
The project is part of an approach with Swale Borough Council to develop energy saving projects in Queenborough and Rushenden. Residents are being encouraged to learn more about energy use and ways to reduce household bills.
Tina Miles , Community Investment Manager, is delighted at how the programme has been received: "Working with the children over the summer gave them a really positive focus. It shows young people do care about how they live and their environment".
