A group of our members recently attended a presentation at the Veolia base at Four Ashes. Veolia have given our group £560 for us to purchase tools for the maintenance of the hill.  We were one of 8 groups who were given a grant. 41 groups had applied for the grants so we feel this was a huge achievement.Veolia have been keen to hear about our work and their communications manager may join us on a future litter pick.
Veolia have open days and we will pass on details of these when we know the dates as their waste management plant is very interesting and worth visiting to find out what happens to waste that is put into the non recyclable rubbish bins. The plant generates electricity. Veolia stressed that recycling is always preferable and using the non  recycling bins should be a last resort even though they generate electricity from the non recyclable waste.

We have been successful with a bid to Tescos bags of help scheme for a heathland restoration scheme project on the hill! 

Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of up to £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – all raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores – being awarded to local community projects.
Bags of Help offers community groups and projects across the UK a share of revenue generated from carrier bag sales in Tesco store. The public will now vote in store during 2nd January to 28th February on who should receive the awards.

www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp
We will need votes during January and February so folks keep asking for the plastic tokens and putting them into the section with our name on it. Votes mean money to help us with this stage of restoring the heathland.

The following message was received from the clerk to the Trustees
I am writing to thank you and all the volunteers who supported the recent spreading of the heather brash.  It was a pity that the weather wasn’t good but I am sure that between us the remaining brash will be spread at some point.  Perhaps you  would be good enough to pass on our thanks and also best wishes for Christmas and New Year to all the members of Friends of Etching Hill.  Regards - Shirley