Eco-friendly residents help the environment during community recycle day

Published on 10/10/2024

Recently, L&Q, in partnership with our partner Axis Europe as well as Lewisham Council and Global Guardians Management hosted a successful Community Recycle Day.


A group of people stood in front of a yellow skip


Residents were encouraged to bring their unwanted items for sustainable disposal, with skips provided by environmental services company Enva.

In total, 1640kg of waste, about half the weight of an elephant, was collected from the Downham Estate around Castillon Road, including old furniture, garden debris, metal, and even trees.

Lewisham Council also managed the separate collection of E-waste, books, textiles, lightbulbs, bikes, batteries (including vapes) and ink cartridges, ensuring these items were properly recycled.


People holding tree branches


Natalie Playfair, Community Development Lead for L&Q Foundation - Thriving Places, said:

“The recycle and clean up days have been a huge hit with our residents and the community, who have said they are so pleased to see the different organisations coming together to help them.

"There was a real sense of community as we all mucked in to uplift the area and offer recycling services that may be harder to reach for some.

"L&Q is keen to support the community with the things that matter to them. The local church kindly provided the base for the social side of the day, and we helped provide refreshments and a hot lunch.”


Adila Gredelj, Customer Service Manager at Axis Europe, said:

“It was a fantastic day working alongside L&Q employees and residents to make a tangible impact on the community.

"This event underscores the strength of collaboration and the positive change it can bring to creating cleaner, greener communities.”


Mark Newstead, Director of Major Programmes at L&Q, said:

“We’ve committed to investing in the safety, quality and comfort of our residents’ homes, working with partners like Axis Europe.

"We’re proud to make a wider social impact too, and the Community Recycle Day was a great opportunity to bring people together and encourage sustainability.

"Our partnerships are about more than homes, from supporting events like these to creating employment opportunities and improving community spaces."


Axis Europe is one of ten partners working with us on our Major Works Investment Programme.

This will see us invest around £3bn over 15 years to improve the safety, comfort, and environmental performance of residents’ homes.

Beyond improving homes, the partnership includes social value commitments to create a lasting impact in the communities where we operate.