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This Thursday, 31st May, at Regents Plaza, Warren Street, Euston, from 10am to 4pm, The Bill star Cyril Nri invites Londoners to plant themselves on the Community Channel Bus and join leading environmental charity BTCV to explore the joys of conservation volunteering.
Highlights of the day will include the official unveiling of the Community Channel Roadshow. Throughout Volunteer Week (1-7 June) the new campaign bus will travel across London enabling people to get onboard and have their say about 'green' issues. Cyril Nri said, “Londoners can spring into action and have a great day out on the bus. Helping your local environment can make a real difference to you and your community. Volunteers can gain new skills, meet others from different backgrounds and make new friends. I’m excited to be involved with the BTCV project and launch the Community Channel Roadshow.”
The Community Channel Roadshow is part of BTCV's Spring into Action campaign, which is supported by Prudential Plc and Community Channel. It encourages people across the UK to get involved in looking after their local environment.
People will be able to tell Community Channel what they think about the environment and might just get the chance to appear on the Channel. Londoners can also get practical in their conservation with the chance to use a Paper Potter to make biodegradable paper pots to fill with a seedling to take home. Minimising root disturbance and preventing the need to buy expensive pots, these paper pots are an easy introduction to those not so familiar with sustainable methods.
Community Channel will be screening the new film Spring into Action through the week featuring first time BTCV volunteers Karen Kwok and Lizzie Emeh. The film can also be seen online at: www.communitychannel.org/springintoaction and at regional roadshows taking place around the country.
Lizzie Emeh, a budding singer/songwriter from London has never let her learning difficulties hold her back and is determined to do her bit for the environment. Lizzie said: “I feel very passionate about the environment and excited that by doing something with my friends I can learn new skills and do something about climate change, before it's too late!”
Karen Kwok from Southgate is keen to reconnect with nature and use her skills to aid conservation. Karen said: “I feel strongly about wildlife but feel disconnected from nature. I am ready to get stuck in, and I love working in a team and making things happen.”
Television gardener, Charlie Dimmock, is backing the campaign: “If you want to help your environment, locally is a great place to start. I welcome the Community Channel's screening of the film Spring into Action. It embodies the positive spirit of getting involved in conservation and I would like to congratulate Lizzie and Karen, and the many other BTCV volunteers who make an outstanding contribution to the environment and improve the life of people across the UK. The Spring into Action campaign has events near to everyone in the UK so do join in!”
For further information on how you can get involved in saving the environment call 08000 681 800 , or for a Cantonese and Mandarin speaker call 0845 122 8660 , or a Sylheti/Bengali speaker 0800 093 1444 , or for an Urdu speaker 0800 093 1118 .
The Paper Potter used to make the pots is an ingenious device developed by The Nether Wallop Trading Company!
For Media enquiries, interviews and images please contact:
Rachel Lailey, Press Officer, Community Channel, T: 0207 784 7908 E: Rachell@communitychannel.org
Notes to editors:
About Community Channel
Community Channel is dedicated to engaging audiences with the charitable and voluntary sector, showcasing stories and issues that inspire action and encourage involvement. Broadcasting original shows, the best of terrestrial TV and showcasing the work of new directors and community programme makers, Community Channel is the place for real-life stories from communities around the world. The channel is a free-to-air TV station available to 16.5 million digital households in the UK. Around 1.2 million people tune in every month (source: BARB) and we receive more than 12,000 responses a week from viewers.
About BTCV
Inspiring People, Improving Places. BTCV is the UK’s leading practical conservation charity. BTCV connects people with place, builds healthy, sustainable communities, and increases people’s life skills. It aims to create a better environment where people from all cultures feel valued, included and involved. BTCV supports 140,000 volunteers a year taking hands-on action to improve their urban and rural environments, and a Community Network supports local groups. BTCV offers regular conservation tasks, UK and International Conservation Holidays, the BTCV Green Gym®, training opportunities and an on-line Shop making products and services accessible to all. www.btcv.org
About Prudential
Prudential plc, a company incorporated and with its principal place of business in the United Kingdom, and its affiliated companies constitute one of the world's leading financial services groups. It provides insurance and financial services directly and through its subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. It has been in existence for over 150 years and has £250.7 billion in assets under management as at 31 December 2006. Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc, a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America.
www.prudential.co.uk
About Volunteers’ Week
Volunteers' Week is a national celebration of volunteers and volunteering which takes place from 1 – 7 June of each year. It plays a huge part in raising the profile of England’s 22 million volunteers while encouraging others to get involved.
During Volunteers’ Week there is a burst of activity as events take place across the country to increase awareness of the UK’s volunteers. Volunteer managers organise events to publicly thank their volunteers and highlight their contribution to local groups and the wider community, while individuals are encouraged to use the Week to find out more about volunteering.
www.volunteersweek.org.uk
About PRUPIM
PRUPIM is one of the leading real estate investment managers in the United Kingdom, managing over £19 billion of assets in a broad spread of properties both in the UK and overseas (as at 31.12.06). It forms
part of M&G, the investment arm of Prudential plc in the UK and Europe. PRUPIM’s community investment strategy is aligned to Prudential plc’s approach to corporate responsibility and its commitment to supporting the local communities where it operates. PRUPIM’s community programme also recognises the significance of its role as a landlord in many towns and cities throughout the UK and its community activities focus on: community safety, economic regeneration and social inclusion, environment and employee volunteering.
www.prupim.com
Prudential plc is backing BTCV over the next two years, through its real estate investment management arm, PRUPIM.
Paul Cornes, Corporate Responsibility Director, PRUPIM, said: Spring into Action will build on our five year partnership with BTCV. The charity has an outstanding record in involving local people in looking after their environment, delivering real and sustainable environmental change."
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