Low Carbon: Crewe housing estate goes green with eco-surgery

Local recycling champions - specially trained volunteers who live on the estate - teamed up with a range of partner organisations to encourage residents to recycle their waste and save energy.

As well as receiving advice, visitors to the surgery were given free eco-gifts including low energy lightbulbs, low-flush toilet cistern devices, bags for life and power-down devices for TVs.

Water company United Utilities helped to fund the event and the estate improvements, through its United Futures regeneration programme, which it runs in partnership with Groundwork. Additional cash came from Wulvern, which owns and runs the estate.

Elisa Benson from United Utilities said: "The event was a chance for residents to get answers to all their environmental questions, from what to recycle to how to bring down their water and energy bills.

"There was a really good response, and we hope it will encourage local people to keep thinking green."

Local resident Claire Louise Turner-Wood is one of several recycling champions who is spreading the environmental message among her neighbours. She said: "The estate is looking great after all the investment, and its up to us to keep it looking good, by recycling all our waste.

"If we can help the environment into the bargain, then so much the better."

The picture shows Mel Edward, 12, is joined by James Kerr from Groundwork and Debbie Rower of Cheshire East Council in the environmental surgery at Crewe's Derby Docks estate.