Fine dining for the pigs Pigs on Stepney City Farm have been fed leftover fruit and veg as well as food waste, which would otherwise have gone into landfill, reducing wastage and lowering their carbon footprint. see below Don’t answer it Premium rate numbers generally begin with the codes 09, 090, 118, 0871, 0872 and 0873. see below Cleaner, Greener, Safer news Bogus delivery note will hit your pocket BY SARAH MCLAUGHLIN THE council and Phonepay Plus have issued a warning to residents about scams using a premium rate number for missed parcel deliveries. With people doing their Christmas shopping over the coming weeks and having more and more packages delivered, consumers are being warned to check that premium rate phone numbers left on missed delivery cards are genuine. Phonepay Plus has received a large number of queries regarding a 090 premium rate phone number that was shut down in December 2005. The number was originally part of a postal scam, where a card was posted through letter boxes telling the occupier to call a premium rate number, 09066 611911, in order to find out how to retrieve a parcel. On calling the number they would then immediately be charged £15. Chain emails still sometimes circulate on the internet giving the number even though it is no longer operating. If you receive an email referring to this, report it to Phonepay Plus. If you receive a delivery card through your letterbox, which you do not believe is genuine and asks you to dial a premium rate number (usually beginning with 090, 09, 070, 118, 0871, 0872 or 0873), you can use Phonepay Plus’ number checker on their website at www.phonepayplus.org.uk You can also call 0800 500 212 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5pm) for further guidance. The checker allows you to enter any number you are not sure about and provides you with information about the company which runs the phone service. If you are concerned about any premium rate numbers call Tower Hamlets Consumer and Business Regulations Service on 7364 5008 or email tradingstandards@tower hamlets.gov.uk Smart way to stop the bin thieves THE council is tackling the theft of metal bins – and the cost of replacing them – through the use of SmartWater technology. Following a spate of thefts of large metal bins from estates and communal refuse points, the council contracted Smart- Water to tag them in an effort to reduce thefts and tackle the mounting costs of replacing stolen bins. SmartWater provides forensic tagging, which involves the marking of bins with a unique liquid. The liquid carries a forensic ‘code’ which is registered to an address or location. Once applied, it is almost impossible to remove and can only be seen under ultraviolet light. Forensic analysis can then provide conclusive proof of ownership. The theft of large metal bins in London has been an issue for a while. In Tower Hamlets, in the twoand a-half years to June 2014, 82 large metal bins were stolen, costing £41,793 to replace. Since the implementation of SmartWater in June 2014, there have been no thefts reported. Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “SmartWater appears to be a strong deterrent to would-be thieves and is proving a cost-effective solution to the problem.” Cllr Shahed Ali, cabinet member for clean and green, said: “We have sent out a clear message that the theft of council assets will not be tolerated. “The theft of metal bins is far from a victimless crime, they cost everyone from residents who have their waste collection services disrupted to the taxpayer who ultimately foots the bill for the replacements.” If you see any suspicious activity around large bins and waste containers or have any information on the theft of these bins, call the police nonemergency number on 101. Don’t be a waster over Christmas RESIDENTS can find out about reducing food waste over the festive season at two Love Food Hate Waste events. Each month, the average family throws away about £50 of food. This amount can spiral rapidly during the festive period. The council’s recycling partner, Veolia, will be on hand at Sainsbury’s Whitechapel to give advice, hints and tips on how to reduce food waste during Christmas, as well as demonstrating recipe ideas. There will also be information on how to shop smartly, save time and money and reduce waste. The Love Food Hate Waste stand will be in the foyer of the Sainsbury’s store at 1 Cambridge Heath Road, E1, between 10am and 4pm on Thursday, December 4 and Friday, December 5. Some tips for reducing food waste over Christmas The big chill: Freeze ahead – many items like bread and rolls bought in quantity can go stale in the bread bin but are perfect in the freezer. Check the dates on perishable items in your fridge: Keep an eye on ‘use by’ dates on fresh meat and fish and move them into the freezer if needed. Remember to always defrost thoroughly before cooking. Lovely leftovers: Cook up a Boxing Day feast with what’s left from Christmas lunch – chop up roast potatoes and brussel sprouts and throw into a pan with some Indian spices for a tasty bubble & squeak served with cold meats. For further information on the Love Food, Hate Waste cooking events email joanna.morris @ve o l i a . c o m o r v i s i t www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/ recycling For further information and tips on reducing food waste visit the website www.lovefood hatewaste.com Feeding the pigs at Stepney City Farm, left, and curing bacon, above Farm so proud of prime porkers STEPNEY City Farm is hosting a Pig Fest from December 12-14. The festival is a celebration of the Berkshire pork reared on the farm and will highlight its commitment to promoting high welfare meat, raised on legal food waste. On Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13, guest chef Neil Bentinck will be offering an eight-course tasting menu featuring the farm’s pork. ‘Everything but the oink’ runs from 7-11pm. The farm to fork experience costs £40 and tickets are available on www.event brite.co.uk Alongside the usual Saturday farmers’ market, the farm café will also be offering porky picnic plates of farm-reared meat between 10am-3pm. There will be information stalls from Compassion In World Farming, Slow Food, Farms Not Factories and a documentary. There will be piggy drawing, pin the tail on the pig and a chance to meet the farm’s pregnant pig, Penny. On Sunday, the café will serve its last brunch of the year, featuring the farm’s very own little porkers – sausages made from pork reared on site. In collaboration with the Pig Idea, the farm’s pigs have been fed on leftover fruit and veg as well as food waste from tofu and cheese production, which would otherwise have gone into landfill, reducing wastage and lowering their carbon footprint. The farm also works with Project Pig – the campaign by Compassion in World Farming – to enforce the ban on sow stalls, part of the Pig Pledge, a world-wide movement promising to only eat meat from real farms, not animal factories. The farm is on Stepney Way, E1. Visit www.stepneycity farm.org.uk 8 – 14 DECEMBER 2014 N E W S F R O M T OWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 7
East_End_Life_08Dec2014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above