Runnymede Voice - Runnymede Borough Council

your environment your environment
Cut food waste and save money this Christmas
As food prices continue to
rise around the world, it’s a
sobering thought to know that
many families waste up to
£50 a month throwing away
uneaten food. So to help you
waste less, Love Food Surrey
chef Carmela Tomkins gives
us her top festive tips to help
you plan the perfect waste
free Christmas.
Taking just one small step to
reduce food waste can have
a big positive effect on the
environment and save you
money too. We hope the tips
will inspire you to take
that step.
Plan ahead
Control your urges to stock
up, remember most shops will
be open apart from the one
special day or why not share
deals with friends and family
such as mince pies or
sausage rolls.
Perfect portions
Remember portion size - if
you are serving a three-course
meal, portions should be
smaller than your everyday
one-course meal.
Love your leftovers
• Chop up roast potatoes
and vegetables, chuck
into a pan to fry and add
some Indian spice for a
tasty bubble and
squeak dish.
• Make a stock from the
carcass of the cooked
turkey by simmering for
a few hours in water with
any leftover veggies such
as onions, carrots or
celery. Strain and season
the liquid, which you can
freeze, and use to favour
soups and risottos.
Savvy storage
A well-stocked store
Home composting in winter
Want to have a greener Christmas?
Whether you’re a keen gardener or just
want to choose the greenest, most natural
way to deal with your food and garden waste,
composting is the perfect solution.
Christmas is always a busy time of year with
lots going on, and plenty of food and presents.
Parsnip peelings, brussels sprouts and left
over satsuma peels can be used for making
compost. Mix this in with used envelopes and
Christmas cards to give a good balance of
materials in your compost bin. However, do
remember to crumple the paper up into a ball
before adding to the heap and make sure it’s
free from glitter, plastic and other non-paper
embellishments.
Out of a total 516,000 tonnes of household
waste currently produced in Surrey each
year, it’s estimated that around a third could
be composted which would save the county
cupboard can be a real lifesaver
over the busy festive
period. Keep a variety of goods
on the shelves and you’ll
always have the ingredients
standing by to pull together a
delicious meal for guests or
to jazz up your
Christmas leftovers.
Festive freezing
Make space this season.
Food can be kept safely in
the freezer for years at -18°C,
as long as you keep it frozen
the whole time. However the
texture and taste may change
over time, so try to eat food
within three months.
Try freezing
• Stuffngs and sauces:
all sauces (with the
exception of hollandaise)
can be frozen.
• Casserole: cook when
you have spare time and
freeze until needed.
For more advice on planning
your shopping, portion control,
recipe ideas and more, visit
www.lovefoodsurrey.com
an estimated £11
million in green
waste treatment
and disposal costs
each year.
So if you’re
wondering
what to get for
someone who has
everything, why not
buy a compost bin
to place under the
Christmas tree?
Get started
To fnd out more about how to build yourself
a compost heap, or to buy a bin, starting from
only £15 please visit
www.surreywastepartnership.org.uk or call
0844 571 4444. You’ll also fnd lots of other
helpful tips and information there too.
Sponsored roundabouts
Would your business beneft
from sponsoring a roundabout
or shrub bed?
Runnymede Council in
partnership with Surrey County
Council and in conjunction
with Marketing Force Limited
re-launched a roundabout
and shrub bed sponsorship
programme throughout
Runnymede borough.
This improved initiative
provides local businesses with
Staines bridge roundabout, Egham
an opportunity to advertise on
busy areas with signs designed
and installed specifcally for
them.
The design team at
Marketing Force can create
bespoke signs promoting the
multiple aspects of companies.
This gives the sponsor a
prominent advert, at a desired
location in the Borough for a
whole year.
A number of local businesses
have already taken up this
opportunity and are enjoying
the success of this advertising.
A recent testimonial by Gavin
Streeter of Aspen Estate
Street naming and numbering
Agents commented, “We
recently decided to sponsor a
shrub bed in Runnymede. As
an estate agent, we recognise
the importance of having a
constant presence within the
local community and feel the
sponsorship presents a unique
opportunity to promote and
enhance our brand in the
local area.”
If your business is interested please contact Ashton Jones at
Marketing Force Limited on 01394 672467,
e-mail: ashton@marketingforce.co.uk or visit
www.marketingforce.co.uk for more information.
If you are the owner of a property or their appointed agent, within Runnymede, you can
request to name or rename an existing property for a small fee.
To fnd out more information on this service, please contact the naming and numbering team
for further information on 01932 838383 or visit www.runnymede.gov.uk/streetnaming or
e-mail streetname-number@runnymede.gov.uk
Homeowner assistance available for repairs
and improvements
Runnymede Council is working with
Parity Trust, a socially responsible fnance
organisation to offer the Home Trust Loan,
which assists homeowners by fnancing
essential repairs and improvements to
their properties.
The Home Trust Loan is a secured loan
provided by Parity Trust and loans are
individually tailored to ensure that the
repayments are affordable. A dedicated
loans offcer will take you through the whole
application process and provide guidance on
how to choose a reputable contractor.
Mr and Mrs C were introduced to the
scheme and have already had work
completed. The front doors to their bungalow
were replaced and now include double
Murray Road roundabout, Ottershaw
glazing. The pair, in their mid-seventies, said:
“We are just thrilled to bits with the work we
have been able to have done thanks to the
loan. It has made our home warmer, quieter
and overall has improved our quality of life”.
Works can include replacing boilers,
re-wiring properties, bathroom adaptations
and other general home improvements. If you
would like to know more about the scheme,
call Runnymede Council’s Private Sector
Housing team on 01932 425880 or
01932 425885 or
e-mail housing@runnymede.gov.uk
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Runnymede Voice visit www.runnymede.gov.uk issue no.17 Winter 2012/ Spring 2013