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WINTER so often clashes with spring these days,but Holme Valley Parish Council is adding a bigsplash of colour to its area.

That colour will be yellow as the council hasprovided 5,000 daffodil bulbs to be sharedbetween several community groups.

These daffodils pictured on the moors aboveHuddersfield in the snow show just how strikingthey can be as they herald the end of winter andthe start of some warmer days.

Groups to benefit include scouts and guidesbased in the valley, the Friends Of Wooldale ParkPond Preservation Group, Scholes MethodistChurch, people living in Broad Lane andWoodchurch View, Thongsbridge; Hade EdgeAction For Residents; Holmfirth Parish Church, StGeorge’s Church, Brockholes; ThurstonlandVillage Association; Holmbridge Pre-school; LanePre-school Playgroup in Holmfirth and New MillChurch.

Now you can cut those heating costs, make yourhome look even better and help the environment

NEW double glazed windows are noweven more energy efficient and costeffective.

And a Huddersfield window installerbecame one of the first in the local areato adhere to new environmentalstandards.

Pennine Home Improvements isplaying its part in helping Huddersfieldhomeowners to cut their bills as well astheir carbon footprint.

New government regulationsintroduced last October dictated thatdouble glazing installers must fit, asstandard, windows which achieve acategory C rating.

The new amendments apply to allreplacement windows in domesticproperties.

This is all part of Britain’scommitment to the international KyotoProtocol and is a major step in reducingcarbon emissions and ensuring the UKbecomes more energy efficient.

Craig Hanson, who runs PennineHome Improvements based at LincolnStreet, Aspley, says: “Our windowprofiles can also be upgraded to acategory A by including the mostenergy efficient glass. I understand wewere one of the first in Huddersfield tosign up to the new regulations and now

fit category C as standard.“For the homeowner this means that

they save on energy bills, thereforecutting down carbon emissions. Itmeans their home is warmer with nodraughts and they are doing their bit forthe environment.”

Pennine uses the Advance 70 windowprofile which is at the forefront ofwindow manufacture.

Before last October, window energyratings ranged from A to G. Newinnovative window design incorporatingfive chambers in the window framemean that C, B and A ratings are noweasily achievable.

Craig said: “People in Huddersfieldcan now reduce their heating costs,help the environment and make theirhome look more attractive.”

Window energy ratings are calculatedby looking at the solar gain and thermalloss. The resulting value is placed on anenergy scale from A to G which givesconsumers a simple way to compareone product with another.

The Kyoto Protocol is an internationalagreement which sets targets for nearly40 industrialised countries and theEuropean community for reducinggreenhouse gas emissions.

■ CUTTING EDGE: Craig Hanson at Pennine Home Improvements became one of the firstlocal window installers to adopt new environmental standards (JH071010Bcraig-02)

Feed the birds ...FOLLOWING the

prolonged icy blastbringing Arctic

weather to Huddersfield,the RSPB is calling onbirdwatchers, walkers,anglers and water sportsenthusiasts to minimisedisturbance to groups ofducks, geese, swans andwading birds untilconditions improve.On lakes, rivers, wetlands, andcoastal areas the birds will bestruggling to survive afterenduring several consecutivedays of freezing temperatures.The RSPB is also urging peopleto continue feeding birds visitingtheir gardens to ensure theysurvive the harsh weatherconditions.Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’sconservation director, said:“During freezing conditionsdisturbance forces the birds tosquander their precious energyreserves by taking flight whenthey need to spend as much timeas possible feeding.“We hope everyone who uses thecountryside will heed our advice,allowing the millions of birdswhich visit the UK’s coasts andwetlands during the winter tostand a better chance ofsurvival.”The birds affected include ducks– including wigeon and pintail –and wading birds, such asgodwits, dunlin and knot. Thesebirds either nest in the Arctic, orin northern or eastern Europe.During the winter the birds visitthe UK to escape harsherconditions further north.Dr Avery added: “We arecontinuing to receive calls fromthe public reporting seeingwoodcock coming into theirgardens. It is obvious that thesebirds, which are normally shywoodland birds, are freezing and

starving and they’re desperatelyseeking food and shelter. Webelieve that birds are facingdesperate times, strengtheningour call for voluntary restrainton disturbance.”Garden birds are also at risk. Asthe weather worsens gardenbirds are fighting anever-increasing battle to findfood and water in order to stayalive. Birds have become veryvulnerable and are more likelyto come into our gardens toseek refuge as they struggle tofind the natural food they needto stay alive which has becomeburied by snow or frozen solid.To encourage the survival of ourbirds, people should providefood like meal worms, fat-balls,crushed peanuts, dried fruit,seeds and grain to compensatefor birds’ natural food which iscovered in snow and ice andimpossible to get to.Leftovers like grated cheese,porridge oats, soft fruit,unsalted bacon, cooked rice,pasta and the insides of cookedpotatoes are also a good sourceof energy for garden birds, andwater for both drinking andbathing is vital.The cold weather is also likely tobring a host of unusual visitorsto UK gardens. Val Osborne,senior wildlife adviser for theRSPB said: “Providing food andfresh water will not only ensurethe survival of our garden birds,but may also attract some veryhungry, unusual suspects.“Freezing conditions make ithard for wildlife to get enoughof the right kind of foodsupplies, and some will go togreat lengths to ensure theirbellies are full – includingventuring into unknownterritories like back gardens.”

Watch thebirdieLook out for theserarely-seen species inyour back garden thiswinter:● Woodcock● Little Egret● Brambling● Snipe● Yellow hammer● Meadow pipit● Water rail● Grey wagtail● Kingfisher● Waxwing● Reed bunting● RedwingTo find out what theseand other birds look like,visit the RSPB websitewww.rspb.org.uk

and helpour littlefeatheredfriends tosurvivethe harshwinter

■ TUCK IN: A robin and a goldfinch make the most of this garden feeder

Bid to boost our declining farmland birdsTHE UK’s farmland birds haveseen numbers fall to recordlows according to officialfigures.

In England, monitoring of19 key species which rely onfarmland for food or breedingrevealed populations in 2009had fallen by more than halfsince 1970.

The figures for the UK as awhole are almost as bad, withfarmland bird numberstumbling to just over half thelevels they were four decadesago when the wild birds index– seen as a good indicator ofthe health of the countryside– began.

According to the statisticspublished by theEnvironment Department(Defra), most of the declinesfor farmland birds occurredbetween the late 1970s andthe early 1990s, but between

2003 and 2008 there was a fallof around 8% in England and7% across the UK as a whole.

There was also bad newsfor woodland birds which sawnumbers fall by almost aquarter since1970, thoughthere has beenlittle change intheir fortunes inthe past fewyears.

In woodlandsand on farmland,the declines arelargely driven bythose specieswhich are‘specialists’which meansthey arerestricted to or highlydependent on a specifichabitat.

The populations of

specialist farmland speciesincluding grey partridges,turtle doves, starlings, treesparrows and corn buntingshave all seen numbers fall bymore than 70% since the wild

bird indexbegan in 1970.

But a fewfarmlandspecialists likegoldfincheshave seennumbersincrease bymore than halfin the last fourdecades.

Among‘generalist’species whichare found on

farmland and otherwidespread habitats, yellowwagtails have declined bymore than 70% but

woodpigeons and jackdawssaw populations double since1970.

In woodlands, specialistsincluding willow tits, treepipits, spotted flycatchersand the lesserspottedwoodpeckerhave seennumbers declineby more than70%, whileothers such asblackcaps, greenwoodpeckersandsparrowhawkshave doubledtheirpopulations.

Well-knowngeneralist woodland speciesincluding blackbirds,bullfinches and songthrushes have declined, but

other garden favourites suchas robins, wrens andlong-tailed tits have seennumbers increase by morethan half.

The RSPB said the declineof somefarmland birdshas been linkedto decades ofhabitat changewhich resultedin a lack ofsuitable nestingsites and ashortage of foodin spring orwinter.

But theenvironmentalcharity believesthe future of

farmland bird species can besecured through the use ofagri-environmental schemeswhich pay farmers to manage

their land in a wildlife-friendlyway.

The widest-reaching ofthese schemes is the EntryLevel Scheme (ELS).

Dr Mark Avery, RSPBconservation director, said:“It is staggering that farmlandbirds, such as the turtle doveand lapwing, have reachedsuch a low ebb.

“But the good news is thatwe know how to turn aroundthese declines. Everyone nowneeds to play their part andget on with the job.

“Defra only has to tweakELS a little to ensure arecovery in farmland birdssuch as skylarks and cornbuntings.

“Our children could thenhear as much birdsong as didtheir parents. A countrysidericher in birds is within ourgrasp.”

■ DECLINE: The greypartridge

■ THREAT: A turtledove

Page 4 Huddersfield Daily Examiner Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Help fightYou can go green, staywarm and save cashA BRIGHOUSE-BASED company ishelping householders across the UK tokeep warm, save money and help theenvironment.

Many homeowners have alreadyreaped the benefits by installing amodern energy efficient heating boilerand cutting down on their carbonfootprint.

Dyson Insulations Ltd, of ArmytageRoad, supplies all kinds of ‘green’products including cavity wall and loftinsulation, solar panels etc, but in morerecent years has become a specialist inthe supply and installation of A-ratedheating systems.

Heating manager Brian Blythe said:“The advantage to the homeowner isthat they get a much more efficientboiler which will cut down their heatingbills. Many older boilers run at around70% efficiency, or even as low as 60%.New A-rated condensing boilers offeraround 90% efficiency which meanslower bills and a better carbon footprintwhich is good for all of us.

“For every £100 spend on your gasbill, you are getting £90’s worth of heatand doing your bit to help theenvironment.’’

The difference between a traditionalcentral heating boiler and a newmodern condensing boiler is that theoperation is much more refined.

A condensing boiler recycles andtakes heat from the exhaust gases,while in a traditional boiler, these gasesare lost into the atmosphere. Newboilers are always more efficient due totheir larger and better heat exchange.

Dyson Insulations was establishednearly 30 years ago in Hipperholme andnow has branches all over the UKhelping homeowners across thecountry to cut their home heating costsand cut down global warming.

■ EFFICIENT: Brian Blythe, heatingmanager for Dyson Insulations

(PW111010Dblythe-02)

■ NEW HOPE: Karo ishoping for a brighterfuture with her son,Happiness. Below:Eight-year-old rag-pickerAnna is being helpedthrough education

Huddersfield Daily Examiner Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Page 5

■ A BIT OF A DO: These Oxfam staff show how to get in the party mood by staging an event of their own – and now you can follow their example

poverty with a partyBy JADE WRIGHTFeatures Correspondenteditorial@examiner.co.uk

HUDDERSFIELD girls arethe first from the Northof England to join

thousands across the UK whoare partying to help poorwomen around the world.They are ditching the scales and thediets and are making instead aspecial New Year’s resolution: Makesome time this year to celebratethemselves and women who everyday fight against poverty.Women are organising a ‘Do’ to raisemoney for Oxfam during the weekon International Women’s Day.In March over 2,000 women aroundBritain will be celebrating the 100thanniversary of InternationalWomen’s Day by holding an OxfamDo.Huddersfield and the rest of thecountry will see an unprecedentednumber of dinner parties, barndances, film nights, clothes swapsand more as women come out inforce to celebrate in whatever waythey feel fit.A total of 700 million women aroundthe world live on less than $2 per day.Far too often, all over the world,women are told, ‘don’t’. Oxfam isabout supporting and celebratingwomen who ‘do’, all over the world,every day; women who fight tosurvive in refugee camps, to feedtheir children, to earn a living.Oxfam is asking Huddersfieldwomen to join them and to celebratethe strength, resilience and theachievements of mothers like Karo,who is fighting against the odds toraise her child in a refugee camp andgirls like Anna, who works a 12hours shift picking rugs in a rubbishdump in India, and still wants to goto school.

Karo’s storyKaro escaped from her village,Rutshuru, to find refuge in a camp inGoma during the devastating conflictin the Democratic Republic ofCongo. She is now raising herbeautiful son, Happiness, in anOxfam supported camp.‘I came here in the camp in August2007 from Rutshuru. I live with myaunt, my mother’s sister, my sister inlaw, and her five children.‘I had to flee my village because ofthe attacks by the military. I am theyoungest. I have one brother and onesister. My father is dead. My motherleft first with my brother. I stayedbehind with Lucy, my sister, to lookafter their belongings. They told usthat if the situation gets worse weshould run.‘The Mai Mai rebel soldiers came toattack my village to defeat thenational army. There was shootingthen it went quiet so we thought thatthe situation would calm down, but itdidn’t. The attack happened at night.We had no choice but to run.‘As a mother it is really important tohave clean water in the camp. Wedon’t just use water for cooking weuse it for washing ourselves andcleaning our pots. We also haveshowers and toilets here that we can

use. If I hadn’t managed to reach thiscamp we would have died.’Ten years since the start of the brutalwar here, the DRC has become theworld’s deadliest conflict since WorldWar Two. Yet, until today, youprobably won’t have heard about thehorrors that people in this regionhave had to live through. Becausethis conflict rarely reaches our TVscreens. In the east of the country,more than five million civilians havebeen killed. Every day, civilians feareviction, rape, severe injury, or evendeath. More than one million peoplehave had to flee from their homes.Many thousands more have diedtrying.Oxfam is helping survivors to stayalive. Many are now taking refuge inovercrowded camps, where we’resupplying, installing and maintainingwater tanks and tap stands. Incramped conditions, it’s vital toensure that everyone has enoughclean water. Without it, diseases will

spread quickly and more people willdie. People here hope that, one day,peace will return. Only then will theybe able to return their villages andhomes without fear. And Oxfam willstill be there, working withcommunities as they replant theircrops and rebuild their destroyedhomes, schools, wells, andlivelihoods.

Anna’s storyThe rag-picking community ofShanti Busti (literally “Peace Slum”)comprises 210 households. Originallyfrom Assam, their language andculture differs from the widerpopulation of Lucknow who speakHindi. They are discriminatedagainst because of the low status ofthe rag-pickers’ work together withtheir minority status.The rag-pickers families pay quite ahigh rent over the land upon whichShanti Busti is built to a “landlord”,who, in return, provides them someprotection from eviction by the

government.With funding from Oxfam, theVigyan Foundation is supportingrag-picking communities like this one– through schools, and water andsanitation activities including toilets,water pumps, and health volunteers.The schools act as a bridge from thecommunity to the governmentschools. Books, slates, school bags, ablackboard, games, mats and teachertraining are provided, and theteacher’s wage is also paid for byOxfam.The school promotes hygieneawareness among the 30 pupils whoregularly attend, and teachers takethe children out on regular social andcultural trips. As well as openingoutside the hours during whichrag-picking children work, thetimetable stresses the need for playand recreation that is often absentfrom the lives of working children.The school allows children to bringalong the younger siblings for whom

many must care. It is basically builtaround them and around theirfamilies’ needs. This means that littlegirls like Anna who is only 8 yearsold, can still go to school. Anddespite having to pick rags for up to12 hours in a row, she has still bagsof energy to learn and hopefully,build a better future for herself.Esther Fisher, from Oxfam Doorganiser in the North of England,says: “The Oxfam Do is a really easy,fun and sociable way of raisingmoney for those living in poverty.Every penny that you raise will godirectly to support women in poorcountries. The ‘Do’ brings us onestep closer to millions of womenacross the globe that needs our helpand support. Join in and party withus!”To sign up for an Oxfam Do callEsther on 0161 234 2923/07738587107/ emailefisher@oxfam.org.uk or click on towww.oxfam.org.uk/Celebration/Help

How Huddersfield girls can support work of Oxfam

Show how■ FUNDS AND FIZZ: For every bottle ofthis Italian lightly-sparkling Frizzante rosefrom Millione, £1 will go towards buildingcommunity-run primary schools in SierraLeone in West Africa

■ TREEMENDOUS: This bee log will help protect the species

AFFORDABLE solarenergy for the homewas once the stuff ofscience fiction.

More and morehomes and businesseshowever are opting forsustainable andrenewable energywhich not only reducesyour carbon footprint,but is surprisinglyaffordable.

The energy from thesun can be used togenerate two types ofpower, electricity andheat.

Solar collectorsgathering the sun’s energy to transforminto electricity are called “photovoltaic”(PV), and the solar collectors can beused to heat domestic hot water.

Even taking into account thetemperamental weather in the UK, solarwaterheating can typically providealmost all hot water requirements duringthe summer months and averagesaround 70% year-round performance.

Last April, the Government introducedan incentive scheme, which means PVsystems are even more cost effective.

It is a key aspect of reaching thenational targets in carbon reductionwhich governments have signed up to.

The scheme includes paid “Feed-inTariffs” (FITs) for producing electricity.

In addition, you can use the electricityproduced free of charge.

The Government introduced FITs inorder that businesses, domestic

householders and social housing couldmake the most of renewable technology.

There is even a cashback scheme forthe energy you do not use, which is soldto the National Grid.

Established in 1992, Winterwarm is afamily-owned business with anestablished track record of advice andinstallation throughout Huddersfield.

It offers advice on domestic andcommercial clients on key renewabletechnologies and systems including airsource heat pumps, which absorb heatfrom the outside air which can then beused to warm water for radiators orunderfloor heating systems, or to warmthe air in your home.

Ground source heat pumps areanother option. For further informationor to arrange a consultation with thewinterwarm team, emailinfo@winter-warm.com or ring for free0800 0192001

Go solar to save moneyand preserve the planet

■ ADVICE: Staff of Winterwarm ready to get to work

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■ SUPER COOL: You and the one you love will be ready to hit thegreat outdoors with Merino Beanies from Finisterre and the MillicanDalton bag. This cool bag is made from 100% organic weatherproofcotton, lined with polyester that’s made from recycled pop bottles andinsulated with local Herdwick wool

much you really careTreat your loved one ... and the environmentBy JADE WRIGHT

Features Correspondenteditorial@examiner.co.uk

THINK hearts, flowers andromantic thoughts as Valentine’sDay rears its head next month.

Yes, it’s the time of year to show yourloved one just how much you care.

But present buying doesn’t mean you needignore the planet. Gifts don’t have to bebrand-new, or expensive, to makesomeone happy.

Browse through second-handshops or search online to findclassic accessories, retro fur-niture, original books, tradi-tional games and toys to helptake the pressure off our planet’sdwindling resources.

But if you real ly wantsomething new here’s what’s onour lists this Valentine’s Day.

BRIGHTEN lives across theglobe with pure warmth. ThisAveda Grounding Ritual soywax candle (£20) is packed withorganic cassia, vanilla andginger oils.

The candle holder is madefrom reclaimed beer bottles.And inside the beautiful boxcomes a tagua nut hair bandwhich has been harvested by awomen’s Corporation Groupin Colombia called Hope ForWomen.

So sit back and relax know-ing that you are helping tosupport families and promoteeconomic independence towomen in Colombian com-munities. These uniqueaccessories help change the live of Colombianwoman and families and help sustain the Colom-bian rainforest.

COOL doesn’t have to mean cold with thesefabulously cosy beanie hats. Made by uber coolBritish surf-clothing company Finisterre, whichspecialises in creating surf wear that looks just asgood in town out of recycled or natural fibressuch as merino wool, they’re a great gift for theecologically-minded fashionista.

Merino Beanies, £24 each from Finisterre,www.finisterreuk.com, 01872 554 481

ADD some fizz to your February fun and putMillione on the top of yourValentine’s tipple list.M i l l i o n e i s al i gh t ly - spark l ingFrizzante rose fromItaly. But whatmakes it standout from the restis that not onlyd o e s i t l o o kgood and good,but it does goodtoo.

F o r e v e r ybottle sold £1 willgo towards build-ing community-runprimary schools inSierra Leone in WestAfrica, in conjunctionwith anti-poverty charityActionAid. The aim is to sell onemillion bottles to raise £1m. With that20 new schools will be built to educate10,000 children a year for years to come.

So this year, if you celebrate with a bottle ofMillione you will be bringing some light into thelives of the children of Sierra Leone. Millionecosts £7.99 and is available on the high street inall Asda, many Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose andMorrisons stores. Find out more about Millioneat www.oneinamillione.com

INSPIRED by Lake District legend Millican

Dalton, who took up residency in a cave, thiscool bag is made from 100% organic weather-proof cotton, lined with polyester that’s madefrom recycled pop bottles and insulated withlocal Herdwick wool from Borrowdale which isas good for keeping food chilled as it is forkeeping sheep warm.

The outdoor company which has adopted hisname is dedicated to an eco-friendly future andhas put every grain of its knowledge and careinto its gear. Hand-finished in Cumbria withchemical-free, vegetable-tanned leather it’s bigenough to car for a whole family picnic and thestraps are reinforced to last a lifetime. An

investment gift for someone veryspecial indeed, it will be an

essential picnic compan-ion for many, many years

of picnics to come. Mil-lican Cool Bag, Lake-land, re f 42636 ,£84.99

E C O - B E AU T Ys h o p N a t u r e ’ sBoutique stocks thevery best in naturalorganic skincare

products and organiccosmetics. Check out

their award-winningrange of natural and

organic bodycare, haircareand fragrance. They also offer

a great range of natural jewellery,gifts and accessories, all at the most

competitive prices. Call for details on0845 045 1505 or see the website

www.naturesboutique.com

FORGET cut flowers that are either hot-housedor flown across the world, and instead thinkabout real, growing plants and flowers. Garden-ers will know just how important bees are whenit comes to pollinating fruit, vegetables, flowersand plants. And Lakeland’s B&B for bees will goa long way in encouraging them into the garden.Particularly attractive to non-aggressive, solitary

mason bees who’d like to snuggle up at the backof the nesting tubes, it helps with their conserva-tion. And the bees will speed up garden produc-tion. It is made from FSC certified timber. Plus,a genuine friend to any gardener, ladybirds areravenous chompers of greenfly and aphids – eachscoffing up to 5,000 in a lifetime – so it’s wellworth encouraging them into your garden.Placed in lawns, shrubs or sheltered plant beds,this attractive tower, made from FSC timber, hasan insulated central chamber and so provides asafe, warm retreat for ladybirds in winter and anatural solution to the problem of plant-eatinginsects. Comes with a sachet of ladybird attract-ant/food. Wildlife World Pollinating Bee Log,Lakeland, ref 50999, £17.99, and Wildlife WorldLadybird Tower, ref 50998, £14.99 fromwww.lakeland.co.uk or call 015394 88100.

FOR the allotment-lover in your life a vegetablegarden for the developing world makes a reallythoughtful gift. Seeds, tools and horticulturaltraining can provide a family with a healthy,nutritious diet by giving them the chance to growtheir own vegetables. As well as enjoying nutri-tious food they can sell any surplus vegetablesand use this extra money to improve theirlives.

Vegetable garden is priced £10 and availablefrom http://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk

PUCKER up for the purest, certified organiclip balms and body balms that you could wishfor. Scented using only Fair Trade organicessential oils and containing no syntheticingredients or preservatives Dr Bronner’sOrganic Lip Balms (£2.95) make a perfect nat-ural winter skin treat and perfect Valentinespresent.

They come in a variety of sumptuous flavoursincluding peppermint, lemon lime, orange gingerand naked. All contain jojoba and hemp oilmoisturisers which are then locked in withbeeswax to rejuvenate tired, chapped lips leavingthem silky soft and smooth.

To find your nearest stockist call 0845 0725825 or go to www.kinetic4health.co.uk

■ HOME, SWEET, HOME: Placed inlawns, shrubs or sheltered plant beds,the Ladybird Tower, made from FSCtimber, has an insulated central chamberand so provides a safe, warm retreat forladybirds in winter. The presence of theladybirds will give your garden a boost

Claim your FREE energy saving gadgets

Cash for green groups£20k awarded to local projects

GREEN groups across WestYorkshire are celebrating afterbeing given a cash boost.

Five charity and community groups in theregion – including two operating in the Hud-dersfield area – are sharing a slice of over£20,000 worth of grants.

The green grants have been awarded by theregion’s gas pipeline company, Northern GasNetworks.

The Denby Dale Centre, based at SpringfieldMill in Denby Dale, works with older anddisabled people living in surrounding ruralareas.

It was awarded £5,000 to create a garden withraised beds, walkways and a large greenhouse.

Colne Valley Tree Society was handed a£2,000 grant.

The group was established in 1964 and sincethen has planted more than 300,000 trees at sitesacross the Colne Valley.

Heavy rainfall and exposed land makes farm-ing in the area difficult, and the money will helpthe group continue its work helping farmerscreate shelter by planting trees.

Other groups to benefit in West Yorkshirewere Bradford’s Prism Youth Project, which was

given £5,000 for a nature trail, treasure trail andsignage at the city farm.

Working in Saltaire, the Hirst Wood Genera-tion Group has been awarded £1,600 to help itreclaim derelict areas and transform them intowell-maintained public spaces.

The Wildlife Habitat Protection Fund’s grantof £4,990 will help create a nature trail on theoutskirts of Church Fenton, Doncaster.

The scheme saw a total of £60,000 gifted tograss-roots environmental projects across York-shire, the North East and northern Cumbria.

Now in its fourth year, the initiative attracted90 entries with the award fund being shared by17 stand-out entrants.

John O’Grady, Northern Gas Networks’communications director, said: “We set up theNorthern Green Networks’ grant scheme as away of supporting these groups that are dedic-ated to improving their local communities. Theyare the ones that make things happen.

“It’s our way of recognising the effort anddedication that they make and we hope it willenable them to go that extra mile.”

WHAT is it they say – if something soundstoo good to be true, it normally is? Well, itseems we’ve found the exception.

Saving energy not only helps theenvironment by conserving precious fossilfuels and reducing emissions, it also cutsyour bills, saving money every month.

But all too often it seems that you have tospend money to save anything, paying forexpensive gadgets to help cut youroutgoings.

That is, until now. We have some greatgadgets to give away for free. All we’reasking is that you use them, and contributeto helping make a cleaner, greener future.

The first gadget is an intelligent energysaving plug, which turns your appliances offstandby in one easy click, via your remotecontrol.

The plug can be used with an individualpiece of equipment such as a TV or with anumber of pieces connected via a multi-socket unit plugged into the unit.

The unit is controlled by your existing TVremote control (or any infra red remotecontrol). You can select the desired buttonyou wish to use on your remote control andthe unit will learn and remember it. Thiswould usually be the on/off button, so thatthe unit operates when you turn off the TV.

Leaving items on standby wastes energyand money, so start thinking 'savings' not‘standby’ with a free energy saving plug andyou could save up to £20 on your energybills.

Our second gadget is a water widget,which fits into a normal shower.

One fifth of a household's carbon footprintalready comes just from heating water, sothis device turns your shower into aneco-shower and saves money on yourenergy and water bill.

It takes less than five minutes to fit andreduces the amount of water used by up to70%. For an average sized three- bedroomhouse this could result in a saving of up to

£80 off your annual bill.

FREE energy saving products worth£30

Save up to £100* per year on your energybills for the price of a stamp. We have two,easy to install energy saving products worth£30 to give away.

The UK is leading the way in reducing itscarbon emissions. The government wouldlike everyone to do their bit as part of theCarbon Emissions Reduction Target and insupport of this scheme we have teamed upwith Lime to offer two free energy savingproducts to get you started.

FREE Energy Saving PlugThis intelligent plug turns your appliances

off standby in one easy click via your remotecontrol. Using the energy saving plug toshutdown multiple appliances can result insavings of up to £20.

FREE Water WidgetTurn your shower into an eco-shower. The

Water Widget takes less than five minutes tofit, but uses up to 70% less water and couldsave you up to £80 a year on utility bills. TheWater Widget is not recommended forelectric showers or suitable for low-flowshowers.

*Using the energy saving plug toshutdown multiple appliances could result insavings of up to £20. The water widget canreduce the amount of water used by ashower by up to 70% which could result in asaving of £80 off the annual bill of anaverage sized three-bedroomed house.

HOW TO CLAIMVisit www.examiner.co.uk/myexaminer to

download and complete a form.myExaminer is a special website that

features all of the Examiner's latestcompetitions and reader offers. If you arenot registered with myExaminer already, youwill need to complete our registration form toclaim your free gadgets. Simply follow thesesteps.

1. Sign up to myExaminer by completingthe online registration form atwww.myexaminer.co.uk/register

2. Activate your account by clicking on theemail you will receive from myExaminer.

(Sometime our emails are quarantined byyour email service provider so please check

your Trash Folder if you don't receive ouremail in a few minutes).

3. You can now login to myExaminer. Visitour Offers section to download andcomplete the form. Then put it the post andyour gadgets will be with you within 28 days.

Terms & Conditions:Normal Examiner terms and conditions apply. For more

information please visit: www.myexaminer.co.uk/rules. Offerexpires 20/02/2011. Only one free product per GB household(excluding Northern Ireland) across all free standby and watersaver offers from energy suppliers. Unfortunately we will notbe able to process your application if you have previouslyreceived either product from an energy supplier and we areunable to notify you. Offer available to GB residents only.Please allow 28 days for delivery. Water Widget offer excludeshouseholds who already own a water saving shower device.Offer is subject to availability.

By EMMA DAVISONNews Reporteremma.davison@examiner.co.uk

■ HARD AT WORK: Colne Valley Tree Society volunteers planting shrubs at Meltham

■ UP FOR GRABS: The money-saving water widget, left, and the intelligent plug