Bottle bright idea bring benefits

A bright idea from Helen Smith, the Property Services and Operations Manager with our Cheshire Recovery Services project is cutting costs, reducing their carbon footprint and encouraging hydration.

Helen was fed up with seeing the blue plastic cups around the project site from the water dispensers – pushed behind radiators, on top of cupboards, and thrown on the ground outside. As well as discarding the ones they had used, when people were pulling them out of the dispenser they would release four or five and these extras would then be put in the bin.

The cost of a box of the disposable cups is £65. Helen thought about this and came up with the idea of buying some cheap water bottles and issuing everyone in the main building with one instead of them using the disposables. She also thought about having additional ones to go in with residents’ crockery and cutlery when voids are prepared.

Helen discovered she could get 20 bottles for £30, providing one for each room in the house and several for future voids.

Regional Manager Dave Maxfield welcomed Helen’s idea – “great thinking”. He gave the go-ahead and the 900ml bottles have been bought.

“They have proved a great hit with the residents here at Beech House,” Helen said.

Moving forwards, there will be one put in every room at void with the comfort pack.