Green Heart of Essex- Proud to be part of it

This is a great way to increase the diversity of plants in your garden or discovering new varities to grow in your veggie plot

We will be holding a Seed Swap Week from 28th March in the Information Centre. We invite you to donate, swap or collect seeds from our display during this week.

Have you considered solar panels for your home?

You could benefit from the power of group buying through

Essex County Council are putting together their bid for the buyer Auction later this month and need households to register - the more people who take part, the better the deal for everyone.

Find out more here https://solartogether.co.uk/essex/landing

Have you registered for Solar Together?

Solar Together is a group buying scheme that sees households in Essex band together to buy solar panels for their own properties.

Essex County Council is putting together a bid for a supplier ‘auction’ being held on 15 March, when approved solar suppliers will bid for the work. The more residents who register, the better the deal should be for each household.

If you’re interested, register here https://solartogether.co.uk/essex/landing - there is no obligation to go ahead

What heroes 👏

Thank you to these volunteers who are out in all weathers clearing the Flitch Way and making it the beautiful, accessible community asset it is.

Which part do you like to walk along? Tell us below 👇

Great work from the Friends of the Flitch Way clearing and tidying up the section around Rayne and today were just over the border in Felsted.

The logs they cut back are being left for wildlife 🕷🐜🐛

Could you be a Green Heart Champion? 💚

We are looking for volunteers from around the Braintree District to help care for their communities.
Our Green Heart Champions take pride in cleansing their neighbourhoods of rubbish, picking up the waste left behind by others. 🚮
You can give as much or as little time as you can, picking litter on your walk to school once a week or clearing rubbish from a nature area once a month.
Our Green Heart Champions are provided with everything they need to safely pick litter including gloves, litter pickers, high-vis jackets plus sacks and hoops.
If you are interested in joining our Green Heart Champions and caring for your district please contact us here
www.braintree.gov.uk/braintree-district/green-heart-essex

Are you interested in finding out more about solar panels?

Register with Solar Together today for more information and a competitive quote.

Would you like to have solar panels – but don’t know where to start?

Registering with Solar Together is easy and uses the power of group buying to get you a competitive quote.

For more information visit:https://www.essex.gov.uk/news/save-money-on-solar-panels-through-group-buying-scheme-solar-together

Did you spot this fly-tip in Sible Hedingham last week?

It was reported to us and cleared within 24 hours but we are keen to trace where the waste came from and who was responsible for dumping in Devils Road, Sible Hedingham.

Over the past three years, the Council has investigated more than 1,550 reports of fly-tipping, issued 40 fixed penalty notices and prosecuted 27 cases. In one court case back in 2020, an offender who pleaded guilty for fly-tipping was ordered to pay a total of more than £1,300 including a fine, victim surcharge and the Council’s costs.

Councillor Wendy Schmitt, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment at Braintree District Council, said: “We take fly-tipping very seriously, not only is it an unnecessary cost to the tax payer with the Council clearing the waste, it is also a blight on our landscape in the Braintree District."

For more information or report someone for fly-tipping visit: www.braintree.gov.uk/flytipping

Have you got a broken toaster or a burnt out hairdryer? Not sure what to do with them? 🔥

A scheme to collect unwanted small electrical items is set to continue across the Braintree District, following a successful trial last year.

Last year teams collected more than 7,000 kgs of small WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Recycling as they toured the district with up to 50 items including kettles, electric toothbrushes, games consoles and old mobile devices taken to the drop off locations some weeks. 📱

Now the scheme has been extended and the WEEE Recycling vehicle will be out on Wednesdays collecting items small enough to fit in a carrier bag.

This week teams will be in Bulmer, Earls Colne and Halstead - see our press release for full details

Braintree District Council continues waste electrical recycling after trial – Braintree District Council A scheme to collect unwanted small electrical items such as toasters and hairdryers is set to continue across the Braintree District Council area, following a successful trial last year.

How did you dispose of your Christmas tree this year?

An update following the announcement of a trial for van booking at our recylcing centres

⚠️ Fly-tipping concerns ⚠️

Since we announced the launch of a van booking system trial at 9 of our recycling centres, there have been several comments about the potential increase in fly-tipping across the county. We want to address these concerns:

- Currently over 60% of councils have a booking system in place at their recycling centres. These booking systems have been operating for an extended period of time with good levels of success and user satisfaction, and councils have not reported any direct significant impact on fly-tipping levels as a result.

- The majority of waste fly-tipped in Essex is industrial waste or waste that has been collected from households by rogue waste carriers. Trade waste is not accepted at any of the recycling centres in Essex so the booking system should not be a factor in increased fly-tipping of trade waste.

- This pilot will be monitored and reviewed regularly, and we will continue to work with district councils to support them in tackling fly-tipping in Essex.

- There is never any justification for fly tipping. It is a criminal offence that can result in prosecution. There has been no evidence that changing the nature of the recycling centre service leads to an in increase in criminal behaviour.