News
Microbee Offices go Greener still!
In December Microbee had Solar Panels fitted to the roofs of the head office to generate electricity and to reduce the Group's carbon footprint still further. Even in the middle of Winter they are generating about 1.5Kw on a sunny day.
In January we had a Wood burning stove fitted into the upstairs offices. This produces between 4.5 and 9Kw of heat from the waste wood arisings generated by our Tree Teams normal tree management activities. This takes our 14001 accreditation to a new level.
Olympic Successes
Microbee was very pleased to be appointed the contractor providing pest prevention and control services to the London Olympics Athletes Village Site and Public Realm. We are very pleased to have been part of the team put together by Lend Lease, and later Locog to deliver facilities services to the village, initially during construction and the during the games themselves.
We are delighted by Team GB's achievements but proud too of the combined efforts of both the behind the scenes contractors and the public volunteers who together made the Village and the Park such a welcoming place for both athletes and visitors.
We are also pleased to have now been appointed to continue our good work during the retro-fit phase and will now be providing Pest Control services on the site right through to handover.
Another 2000 trees planted in Devon and some on Merton Park Green Walk!
Another 2000 tree seedlings were planted this Easter, a wildlife pond has been dug and planted up with a surrounding wildflower meadow and another 40 Nest boxes put up for clients around the Home Counties.
Native trees and shrubs have been planted on the Green Walk to enhance its opportunities for wildlife.
Sadly some have recently been vandalized but will be replaced
Microbee has deployed another Tree Team operating out of Wimbledon
This is is to cope with increasing demand for tree services to the social housing sector. Any enquiries concerning tree work should be directed towards Tom Evans the Tree Teams Manager. He can be contacted via trees@microbee.co.uk.
This unsolicited testimonial arrived recently
FAO Jane ~~~~~~
Dear Jane
You may remember that we spoke earlier this year about a large tree in our neighbours garden at ~~~~~~~~~~~. Im writing to let you know how pleased we are with the recent works carried out by your contractor, Microbee, in respect of that issue.
As you know I have been requesting this work for over a year and ~~~~~~ finally agreed to do it in June. After initial delays and difficulties, Microbee arrived to carry out a significant pruning of the large maple tree that dominated our garden. They did the work quickly and efficiently with virtually no disruption to our day. There was almost no debris as Tom and Tim worked methodically to reduce and remove the offending boughs.
I cannot praise them and their efforts highly enough; this was a situation that was becoming increasingly contentious and their amiability and professionalism helped restore my faith in ~~~~~s customer relations and concerns for residents and neighbours.
Please pass on our thanks to Tom and Tim at Microbee and your team at ~~~~ for all their efforts in resolving this situation.
Regards.
Donna J ~~~~~~
New Merton Orchard project
Microbee has sponsored some works to an orchard in the London Borough of Merton which seeks to collect together all of the varieties of fruit trees developed locally by the John Innes Institution. The was founded from a bequest by local developer John Innes at the beginning of the last century. These fruit varieties are becoming rare because the big supermarkets select for shelf-life above flavour etc. There are currently twenty "Merton or John Innes" varieties there. The owners hope to get up to thirty. Wimbledon Beekeepers are also keeping ten hives there to pollinate the trees and to give endangered bees some living space.
Rat Interviews.
Dr. Channon was interviewed by Simon Boazman for a Panorama program scheduled for Monday 6th August at 2030 called "Rats, Traps, Bugs & Cutbacks".
The Guardian again:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/mar/20/pest-explosion-feared-council-cuts?INTCMP=SRCH
"When you've got the situation where local authorities have kind of absolved themselves from responsibility for pest control, then who does stand up and shout when there's an issue, if not the chartered institute or the pest control companies?" he asked.
Previously the Times (Helen Rumbelow) http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/environment/article3055569.ece for an article about UK rat numbers. She discusses the possibility that the fear of rats is much greater than the actual numbers of rats present in the UK and drew heavily on an article published by Dr Channon in 1995 (UK Rat myths explored)
Following this, Dr Channon was approached by BBC Radio Four for an interview on "You and Yours" and also the Guardian for a perspective on whether council cutbacks and fortnightly waste collection might effect Rat population numbers.
On Radio 4 when asked whether we were all really 10 feet from a rat, Dr. Channon said that 10 Streets was more realistic. The Guardian interview can be read here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/patrick-butler-cuts-blog/2011/jun/13/pickles-council-cuts-fortnightly-bin-collections
ISO 9001 & 14001
Microbee has ISO 9001 independent Quality Standard & 14001 independent Environmental Standard and these standards are implemented at every level of the Group of Companies. Our fourth audit was passed with flying colours Dec 11
Microbee continues woodland planting
Microbee has planted a new woodland in Devon covering nearly a hectare of land that was previously bramble scrub. We may also early plant another 500 of 2012 Spring's batch on adjoining acreage to see if over wintering rain helps the root system develop better on this land. 2000 trees were planted in March 2012
Gold Standard Award for Personnel Practice
Microbee was very pleased to be awarded a Gold Award Certificate of Achievement by Peninsula Business Services for commitment to a high standard of personnel practice.
The certificate "Recognizes the outstanding efforts and commitment of your organization to achieving a successful and proactive personnel management culture in your workplace."
Merton Park Green Walk Restoration project
Microbee is Working with the Willmore End Residents Association (WERA) on the improvement of a local Green Walk which follows the line of an old railway.http://www.wimbledonsw19.com/default.asp?section=info&page=mertonparkgreenwalks001.htm
The work is complementary to the aims of the Merton Park Green Walks Management Plan 1998.
The Walk and Tramway are an important link in the chain between between Mitcham Common, Watermeads, Morden Park, Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. The habitat in the walk is being upgraded and managed to encourage a freer movement of wildlife species and prevent islands of species or local extinctions occurring.
Microbee volunteers worked with with the local community in December 2011 to install 40 nest boxes for various species. In January 2012 the Microbee Ecologists and Biologists are surveying a new area to propose improved habitats. In March a new pond liner was put in and turfed. The pond in the allotment nearby had 27 clumps of frogspawn so it is hoped that the new one will be similarly attractive. (update) Sadly it was vandalised and a layer of Bentonite Clay was put over the liner to seal it.
WERA contact: James Congrave. http://wera.info/ Microbee contact: David Channon 02085409968
A licence has been granted to Wimbledon Beekeepers Association to establish a ten hive apiary on the parcel D allotment site to ensure pollination of the berry producing species. WBKA contact: Peter Bowbrick.