The LARAC Lounge was a prominent and very busy meeting point throughout both days of RWM. It was great to welcome so many of our members, partners and friends from across the sector, whether they were stopping for a quick hello, catching up with colleagues or taking the opportunity to talk to us about the issues affecting their services.
It was also Gareth Rollings’ first RWM as LARAC Chair, and Gareth contributed to two panel discussions, including a session on waste crime. Other members of our Executive also joined the programme. Andrew Bird spoke about the third year of packaging EPR payments, while Nicola Percival took part in a panel looking at preventing battery fires in the Waste Sector. Our Policy Officer, Tom McBeth, joined a panel discussing the progress of food waste collections in England.
The Lounge also gave us a valuable opportunity to catch up with members and valued partners, including Ecogenesys, sponsors of our LARAC Scholarship Programme.
On Wednesday afternoon, we held our drinks reception with our fabulous lounge headline sponsors PermiServ, now part of Routeware, and celebrated the winners of the Garden Waste Awards which I was delighted to judge once again this year. Congratulations to Brent Council, winner of Best Resident Engagement Campaign; Thanet District Council, which was highly commended in the same category; Luton Borough Council, winner of Best Run Service; and Epping Forest District Council, winner of Best Newcomer.
Thank you to everyone who visited the Lounge and helped make it such a lively and welcoming space across the two days.
Toni
LARAC
