20120216 VEOLIA introduction meeting

Tim and I attended a VEOLIA meeting Friday the 16^th on behalf of the Friends of Surrey Square Park.

The meeting was a sort of introduction to what VEOLIA does and the "envirogrant" they provide for the local communities. VEOLIA is a big Charity that works with local authority and government. They get big money and are keen to appear friendly and approachable.

The premises were nice and new as one might expect from a recently built facility and the meeting well attended (it was however a borough wide meeting, so people came from all over the place).

The service and organisation was a bit lucking but I imagine the organisers were new as well. The night was cold and snow was on the ground but when we got there we could only and begrudgingly find something hot to drink in the form of unsweetened black coffee, from electric coffee-makers left in the room, because "refreshments were for later...so coffee should not be touched"!!

Anyway after a little delay the meeting got going and as I suspected it was more about introducing VEOLIA to the Southwark wide community involved audience than about anything specific but there were a few points of relevance:

• 1. "VEOLIA Southwark" and their "Envrotherirogrant" is rather eclectic. Does not need to be strictly related to recycling and is, I had the impression, geared up to promote their image with an emphasis on wildlife and nature. It has a value up to £1000 but they can also supply volunteer work in addition. Interestingly I had the forms with me when we left but I lost them on Tim super-bike ride home and I went back the next day to get some more.

     1. You can come back any time, the smooth young host enthused at the meeting, no need for appointment, we are always here for you -the Community-.

     2. Of course when I walked there a couple of days later to get old of a new copy of the form I find still the brand new reception, the young vaguely and smiley pretty receptionist but there was no way I could get hold of the damn piece of paper - oh such and such is not here, no there is no one, please come back... Did anyone asked my name or God forbid, even offer to post it over? Out of the question. This was forbidden bitter coffee all over again...*

  2. Nationally VEOLIA can also provide some larger grants.

  3. Their conference room is bookable for free and although not local it could be something FoSSP could consider if there was the need of a meeting place with other organisations, stakeholders or whatnot.

  4. I had the impression that at the moment they are open to suggestions for activities that could give the right kind of publicity for their charitable organisation.

  5. Their indrustial plant is for household recycling but they produce compost (they sell) and give paint away for free (whatever they have in stock).

  6. In future, and I think they would be keen on the idea, FoSSP could organise a visit to the plant.

The place is massive:

Everything is newly built and the "Reception Centre" is state of the art:

In addition to the upstairs conference rooms and offices it has a ground floor teaching facility for school children

Still it was not all an humbling experience. When I was there a fire alarm sent everybody out looking dazed and confused ;-)