Press release, [embargo] Wednesday 12th May 2021
#LoveYourForest Launches Recycle Reward Machines in Forest of Dean Trial aims to incentivise people to recycle their bottles and cans Two new characters have arrived in the Forest of Dean today, in the form of Recycle Reward Machines, as part of the ongoing #LoveYourForest initiative to reduce litter and boost recycling in the area. Sir Recyclesalot and Buddy the Bottle Crusher, have been installed in the area by environmental charity Hubbub and can be found at The Midcounties Co-operative’s Coleford Food store and the Dean Heritage Centre in Soudley. The machines are being trialled to encourage residents and visitors to recycle their empty bottles and cans in exchange for prizes. Named by Dee-Ann Sheerin-Wilson and Evan Pezzarini- Hodges, as part of an online competition run by the #LoveYourForest campaign, the Recycle Reward Machines have been designed to accept empty bottles and cans in exchange for tickets, which recyclers can then use to claim their prize. The machines are programmed to reward recyclers based on the volume of recyclable materials they deposit. Each can or bottle that gets recycled equates to one ticket which can then be collected and exchanged for a reward. Prizes include:
• Forest of Dean lottery ticket, with a chance to win a jackpot of up to £25,000 (for 16 year-olds and over only)
• #LoveYourForest merchandise including an organic cotton tote bag, wind up torch and reusable water bottle
Prizes can be claimed at the Tourist Information Centre in Coleford or at the Dean Heritage Centre. #LoveYourForest is run in collaboration with local employer Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, Forest of Dean District Council, Forestry England, Foresters’ Forest, and Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tourism.
Each year, over 250 tonnes of rubbish is removed from the Forest of Dean area, costing local taxpayers £450,000 per year to clean up.In 2016, Hubbub and local partners launched the #LoveYourForest campaign to tackle the issue, trialling a number of interventions which in four years has seen more than 800 bags of litter collected in the area. A survey of over 3,000 adults in the UK, commissioned by Hubbub, found that 44% of people had noticed litter in their local area become a bigger issue since COVID arrived in the UK, with 43% seeing an increase in litter in their local green spaces and 39% noticing an increase in fly tipping.* In 2020, #LoveYourForest broadened its activity beyond its “Take your litter home” messaging to include “recycle it”, by installing new eye-catching bins in the town centres of Cinderford, Coleford, Lydney and Newent. The new Recycle Reward Machines mark the second phase of this, as we emerge out of lockdown and start spending more time outside. Abigail Arden, Project Coordinator at Hubbub, said: “Our research suggests there has been a shift in attitude towards how people view outdoor spaces in light of the pandemic, with half saying they have been appreciating nature and wildlife more. But with two in five people visiting their local green spaces more often, yet seeing more litter than they had before, it is important that interventions are put in place to help people understand the importance of taking their litter home or recycling it. “The new Recycle Reward Machines are an invaluable asset to help reduce litter in the Forest of Dean and what’s more, they put the area one step closer to creating a circular economy, by keeping litter out of the forest and in the loop. We look forward to seeing the response they get from locals and visitors alike.” Michelle Norman, Director of Sustainability at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, said: “Part of our Growing for Good vision is to minimise our environmental impact and keeping our bottles in circulation is a crucial part of this. A major transformation project to optimise our bottles for recycling is well underway and we’re determined to do all that we can to get our bottles back. “That’s why today is so exciting; with more bottles being recycled and collected we can not only keep our forest floors clean, but also help keep a valuable material in circulation and reduce our carbon footprint in doing so. We truly believe this model, when scaled up, will help drive the circularity we’re striving for and hope that people embrace the new recycle reward machines as they have done with our new recycling bins.” Phil Ponsonby, chief executive at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “Social responsibility is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re so pleased to be able to get involved in this very exciting initiative. “We’re committed to making change and encouraging our members and customers to work us with us to build a better environment for our future, and recycling is a big part of that.
“We’re hopeful that the new Recycle Reward Machine in our Coleford Food store will not only encourage more people to recycle their bottles and cans but help to keep our local communities free of litter too.” Rt Hon Mark Harper MP, Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean, commented: “The Forest of Dean is a beautiful part of our country that I am proud to represent in Parliament, but littering knows no bounds. The #LoveYourForest campaign has made a significant contribution in tackling the blight of litter and promoting recycling in the Forest of Dean since 2016. The new Recycle Reward machines that are being introduced today will encourage us to return empty bottles and cans for recycling. “It’s important that we encourage recycling and on-the-go recycling infrastructure plays a hugely important part. “I welcome Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I’s support for the campaign, as an innovative local employer committed to reducing its impact on the environment, as well as littering.” For more information or to join the #LoveYourForest campaign, visit: www.hubbub.org.uk/love-your-forest
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For more information, please contact the Hubbub team at Barley Communications: Katie Raby – katie.raby@barleycommunications.co.uk - 07896 533547
NOTES TO EDITORS *Polling was carried out by Censuswide in December 2020 with nationally representative sample of 3,002 UK residents over 16
ABOUT HUBBUB Hubbub is an award-winning charity and social enterprise that inspires ways of living that are good for the environment - disrupting the status quo to raise awareness, nudge behaviours and shape systems. Their aim is to revolutionise communications with the public about environmental issues - using everyday language and good design to make environmental actions desirable and tapping into things people are passionate about such as food, fashion, homes and neighbourhoods. This innovative approach saw Hubbub win the Charity of the Year Award at the prestigious Charity Times Awards in 2020. Since its formation in 2014, Hubbub has delivered more than 60 trailblazing environmental campaigns in collaboration with over 700 partners, helping to shift the national debate
on key environmental issues such as food waste, sustainable fashion, air pollution and recycling. Hubbub’s campaigns include #LeedsByExample which brought together 25 of the UK’s largest companies to boost recycling on the high street, a 3-year partnership with IKEA to create the world’s largest consumer-facing sustainability campaign ‘Live Lagom’ and creating a Network of 100 Community Fridges across the UK, each redistributing on average 1.5 tonnes of food every month that would otherwise have gone to waste. www.hubbub.org.uk Twitter: @hubbubuk Facebook: @HubbubUK Instagram: @helloHubbub LinkedIn: Hubbub-UK
ABOUT SUNTORY BEVERAGE & FOOD GB&I Suntory Beverage &Food GB&I is one of the largest soft drinks suppliers in the UK and Ireland. Its much-loved brands include Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport, Ribena and Orangina. Located in the heart of the Forest of Dean, it’s Coleford factory has been producing great-tasting drinks since 1946. The business is driven by its “Yatte Minahare” (‘Go for it!’) spirit. Its role is to have a positive impact on the lives of consumers by providing them with a responsible choice of great-tasting drinks and enabling them to lead more active lifestyles. For further information, please visit: www.suntorybfe.com/gbi
A B O U T T H E M I D C O U N T I E S C O - O P E R AT I V E The Midcounties Co-operative operates the Your Co-op family of businesses, which includes food retail, travel, pharmacy, funeralcare, childcare nurseries, flexible benefits, phone and energy, as well as several post offices. Midcounties is one of the largest independent co-operative societies in the UK and has more than 500 sites and 700,000 members. In February 2021, the Society was named as the Business of the Year at the edie 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards in recognition of its work to create a sustainable future and support of its local communities. Throughout the pandemic, The Midcounties Co-operative has provided a wealth of support to communities, including funding over £40k worth of childcare support for key workers, donating £5,000 worth of smartphones to help vulnerable people access support, and launching a £75,000 Community Restart Fund where charities and community groups
could apply for emergency financial support. The Society also worked with over 1,000 local volunteers to make more than 120,000 free food deliveries to those who have had to selfisolate. Midcounties Co-operative has headquarters in Warwickshire, with trading outlets in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Shropshire, West Midlands, Somerset, Dorset, Worcestershire, and the surrounding counties. The Society’s mission statement is ‘To be a successful consumer co-operative working towards creating a better, fairer world, and to enhance the lives of our colleagues, members, customers, and the communities we serve’.
A B O U T D E A N H E R I TA G E C E N T R E The Dean Heritage Centre is located in the picturesque village of Soudley in the Forest of Dean. With 5 acres to explore the Centre has something for everyone to discover including the unique history & heritage of the Forest of Dean and the wealth of nature that surround us. People wanting to visit the centre should head to our website for up to date opening times and details of upcoming events. www.deanheritagecentre.com
F O R E S T O F D E A N D I S T R I C T C O U N C I L Forest of Dean District Council is responsible for keeping public land and highways across the district clear of litter. This involves the cleansing of towns and villages, A & B roads and other highways. The council is also responsible for the removal of fly tipping on public land and emptying litterbins. The Council spends in excess of £450,000 per year on the clearance of litter and flytipping so changing the anti-social behaviour of littering is of high importance.
F O R E S T R Y E N G L A N D Forestry England manages and cares for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests, with over 230 million visits per year. As England’s largest land manager, we shape landscapes and are enhancing forests for people to enjoy, wildlife to flourish and businesses to grow. Forestry England is an agency of the Forestry Commission. For more information visit www.forestryengland.uk.
F O R E S T E R S ’ F O R E S T Foresters’ Forest is a £2.5m National Lottery Heritage Fund Landscape Partnership Programme to raise awareness and participation in the built, natural and cultural heritage in the Forest of Dean. The programme consists of 38 exciting projects being delivered by 32 partner organisations and community groups. Find out more at www.
forestersforest.uk or follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Forestry England is the lead partner within this partnership programme, one of which is the Love Your Forest project. People wishing to get involved and volunteer for litter picks should contact forestersforest@fvaf.org.uk.
F O R E S T O F D E A N & W Y E V A L L E Y T O U R I S M Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism was formed in 2006 and is the official Destination Management Organisation representing the interests of over 300 members. Managed by a 10-strong voluntary board, supported by professional advisors, the Forestry England and the area of outstanding natural beauty, it is funded by member subscriptions, the Forest of Dean District Council, Monmouthshire Council (via VisitWales), the Forestry England, and grant funding for specific projects.