At ACE Training, we have embraced a number of progressive ‘green’ initiatives to make sure the actions and activities of our team and our learners contribute towards sustainability within our industry.
We endeavour to reuse as many scrap materials as possible. Many of them will be repurposed in our workshops, but we can also utilise many of them in our community projects. Wood waste is also retained to heat the workshops and keep us all warm! We also sift through our fire ash using magnets to find any nails that can be recycled correctly to prevent them from going into landfill.
At ACE we aim to ensure that on a day to day basis our team are mindful of where we source materials from and how we dispose of them. From using recycled toilet paper (Who gives a crap), and recycling drinks cans, to solar panels and reusing materials to drastically reduce waste to landfill, we continuously aim to integrate and embrace progressive green sustainable practices throughout our operations.
At our training centre, we have two 1,100 litre bins for recyclable waste, and one 1,100 litre bin for non-recyclables. Both bins are collected fortnightly. We also have a dedicated 20 yard skip for hardcore waste; this is recycled annually.
In 2009, we installed 12KW of solar panels, which have since been boosted with a further 50KW. This has drastically reduced the amount of electricity we purchase from the National Grid.
We run a free minibus service for students to reduce the number of vehicles travelling to and from our centre. We’re pleased to say that these minibuses are now fully electric and predominately charged from our solar panels.
Other progressive steps towards sustainability include using lime mortar in our workshops (as opposed to cement), which is rehydrated and reused repeatedly. We have also built some first phase rainwater harvesting systems to support this process. We also reuse bricks and blocks, and will only dispose of them once they cannot be practically used anymore.
ACE is registered as a lower tier waste carrier, broker, and dealer. We work with our community and employer partners to facilitate the redirection of their end of project materials and certain wastes for our students to reuse and repurpose in our workshops and for broader community projects.
Philanthropy is one of our core values here at ACE. We want to highlight to our learners how important community relations are and what they can do to make a real difference to society as a whole.
Our projects range from litter picking around our estate and keeping the area clean and tidy, to making and filling hampers for the local food hub, organising charity fun runs, and producing amazing pieces the community can enjoy. Recent builds have included incredible animal houses, mud kitchens, planters and outdoor larders for primary schools and nurseries to benefit a younger generation of learners.
Our learners are also involved in the Getting Court initiative in Oxfordshire. The aim here is to show teenagers how the criminal justice system and prison system work and show them the real-world consequences of turning to a life of crime.
The Getting Court project demonstrates how the courts, police, probation, and prison services work together to support and protect our communities, especially those in vulnerable circumstances – and it also showcases the range of fascinating career opportunities that are available in the legal and law enforcement fields.
