The Skip Magazine

Skip Scavenger Strikes Gold - how one lucky find in a skip helps to start a new business.

The Skip magazine goes on BBC local radio and BBC Radio Two's Jeremy Vine Show as "The voice of the skip hire industry"

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A worthy winner of the title "Skip Chick of the month" We present Eleanor who is originally from Moscow but now works in the waste management industry in Northwich, Cheshire.

Not to be out done by his colleagues that appeared in our September issue, heres Antonio Couvinhas who gets the award for "Skip Hunk of the month for October 2006"

The Skip Magazine at the RWM Show in September 2006. This is one of our advertisers, John Mulkeen at BMC Trucks explaining why The Skip is the best place to advertise if you sell anything to the Skip Hire Industry. Click play to view.

Do you want to advertise to the industry? If so you can call us on 0844 560 7706 or drop us an email

or Download the media pack

David Lewis a postman from Ystradgynlais in Powys has been found guilty of stashing over 40,000 letters in one of the biggest cases of undelivered mail Britain has ever seen.

David Lewis's lethargy was only discovered after he decided to move house and decided to dump the mail in recycling skips.

Workers at the local recycling facility became suspicious when they spotted the envelopes and junk mail and informed bosses.

The Royal Mail investigated and Lewis, 53, confessed to destroying and trying to destroy the stash.

The former postman, has been jailed for four months after pleading guilty at Neath Magistrates' Court to damaging around 100 postal packets by setting fire to them and attempting to destroy up to 40,000 more by putting them in skips to be recycled.
James Pearn, defending Lewis, said, "Throughout the whole offence, Mr Lewis did not deliberately fail to deliver addressed mail, was not deliberately hiding mail and was not deliberately storing mail."

He informed the court that Lewis left surplus door-to-door mail in his van and this built up while he was on the sick - for six weeks when he broke his ribs and for 20 weeks when he had a hernia.

"On those occasions addressed mail he assumed, wrongly, had been dealt with while he was away from work but sadly wasn't. [It] became mixed up with the door-to-door mail, which he transferred from the vehicle to his garage," Mr Pearn said.

On sentencing him, chairman of the magistrates Howard Davies said, "Your actions have caused a great deal of harm not only to your employers, to whom you were in a position of trust, but also the community who lost goods and services to which they were entitled.

"This was aggravated by your efforts to dispose of the mail with the skips."

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said, "This conviction underlines the fact that we take decisive action and will seek to prosecute all those found responsible for dishonesty."

University bosses have been forced to back down on a decision to ban Norris Skips from the grounds of Greenwich University.

Norris Skips were banned because the firm share the surname as one of the five men accused of murdering black teenager, Stephen Lawrence in nearby Eltham in April 1993.

The original decision to ban Norris Skips was seen as political correctness gone mad and was labelled as ‘over-sensitive’ by local MP, Derek Conway.

Stephen Lawrence’s mother, Doreen, has strong links with the University and achieved a BA Honours degree in Humanities in 1995. In 1997 she also completed a post-graduate programme in Counselling Skills and in 1999 was awarded a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling.

Kieron Norris, manager of Peter Norris Haulage Ltd, stated that the situation has now been resolved and his company has since been allowed back onto the site to complete its £30,000 job.

Bosses at the University refused to comment.

Builders starting work on the former Warwicks and Richardsons brewery got a lot more than what they bargained for when they carted away a whopping SIX skips full of pigeon mess from the site.

The brewery in Newark is to be turned into apartments after falling into disrepair after brewing ceased in 1966. The developers, Newark Property Development Ltd. are hoping that the building work will start within a year, after the preliminary clearing work is finished.

Mr Rick Elliot of Newark Property Development Ltd says that they are doing their best to stick to their schedule and get the job done on time. Locals think the building is an eyesore and are welcoming plans to move forward.

Asbestos has also been removed from the roof, prompting the team at The Skip to wonder if there is anything hidden under all that pigeon poo?

A 32 year old man from Accrington threw himself in front of a train just hours after filling a skip with everything he owned.

Christopher Reynolds died instantly after suffering massive head injuries on a stretch of track located between Rishton and Church in Lancashire.

Mr Reynolds suffered from learning difficulties at school and had never been employed. In an inquest into the suicide, the court heard how Mr Reynolds stood in front of the train and adopted a ‘crucifix pose’ as it hurtled towards him at nearly 50 mph.

Anthony Reynolds, father of Christopher, told the court how his son had become a bit of a recluse in the months leading up to his death but that everything seemed fine with him on the day of his suicide. Only ten days earlier Christopher had hired a skip but Anthony was unaware of his son’s plans.

“I don’t know why he did it but he put everything from the house in the skip,” Mr Reynolds said before adding, “I didn’t know until it had been done, otherwise I would have talked him round.”

The driver of the train, Geoffrey Cowell, described how after switching of an automatic alarm just outside Rishton he looked up to see a man on the tracks staring up at the train and putting his arms out in a crucifix pose.

Mr Cowell applied the brakes immediately but it was too late and the train didn’t stop until 200 metres further down the line.

Here's a letter I got from Anthony Small of Cox Waste Management in Devon in October:

Dear Mark

It sounds that I am no different than anybody else in this business. We are all too busy just getting on with our daily duties, sorting out a customer who has just had his gate pier damaged by a skip lorry or a driver who has his arse in his hand because he does not want to drive a particular lorry today as his lorry is off the road for maintenance or repairs – all the usual stuff. Also I have been busy setting up a new recycling centre for all the other local skip hire companies, local authorities and builders to use.

But I have finally found time to write back to you following our last telephone conversation and regarding your article in ‘The Skip’, yes, I believe you are right with regards to having a national brand in conjunction with the NSHA, Stamp of Quality. I do believe that we do need to have a National Skip Hire Association for the skip hire and waste management industries and all meet up at least once a year to, as you put it, ‘moan about our problems.

It is not just about moaning about our problems, a few of us have been talking to each other since and I have visited a couple of the companies’ waste transfer stations that were tat the meeting (that I had not met before) in order to get ideas etc.

Last year I was very fortunate to be invited by Blue Machinery to a recycling exhibition in Las Vegas – (didn’t see much of the exhibition, but that’s another story!). As you can imagine, a hundred people from all over the UK all in the same business with ideas, information bouncing around, relationships formed and also the business exchanged since has been unbelievable.

The December meeting went very well. The NSHA is not yet formed but the ball is rolling with people talking about their experiences and problems and listening to talks about legislation, regulations etc. All of us got something out of the meeting and for the next gathering there will be twice of three times the amount of people. Let’s have another meeting and see where it takes us – let’s keep the ball rolling.

I know that you are very busy but please don’t give up the idea of a Skip Association. As I mentioned before I don’t mind being a contact in the South West for the Association.

Yours sincerely

Anthony Small
Cox Waste Management
Devon

PS Keep up the good work.

Here's a letter published in issue 16 of The Skip:

Dear Mark, Katy and the rest of the team,

We collected a skip from a householder the other day and were provided by them the attached piece of paper where they detailed the contents of their skip. This was certainly a first for our drivers and us. I know that householders have become responsible for the correct disposal of their waste since Nov last year, but I think this was taking things a little further. Our driver asked if they could put the EWC code on the ticket!!

We love reading your magazine and the girls certainly look forward to your Hunks. I would also like to reiterate our support for a national association for the skip industry. The industry is in dire need of formalised system for skip permits and also a ‘badge’ to show that we’re not cowboys. We advertise clearly that we have our own waste transfer station and waste carrier’s license but at present this seems to make no difference to the, ‘I can get it much cheaper from someone else’ brigade. I have spoken with friends who work with with EA on the problem of fly tipping and they personally think an association is an excellent idea. We need to educate the public!

Yours sincerely

Anna-Maria McAuliffe
Eco-Friendly Skip Hire
Wolverhampton

By Louise Malpas

There’s been a bit of a buzz around Warwick recently…

Bottle banks set up by Warwick District Council have caused a nightmare for residents living nearby. Smashing glass and angry wasps are only the beginning of a long list of problems that are caused by the recycling banks. Shopkeeper Kay Lazecky has complained to the council and tells The Skip magazine that the banks have made her life a misery ever since they were set up.

Woken early in the morning and kept awake late at night by the loud crash of glass, she says life is becoming intolerable and she is at her wits’ end. Worse still, Lazecky is allergic to wasps, and the insects have increased in numbers and have even set up home by the tip. The problem has become so severe, Lazecky has to sleep under netting to avoid being stung at night. (Perhaps we could offer her some discount on the netting? Just a thought! – Ed)

Warwick Council have admitted that the bottle banks have raised environmental health issues and health and safety inspectors have visited the site, commenting that they could easily attract vermin. So maybe Lazecky’s in luck.

District Council spokesman Richard Brooker commented, “We will do whatever we can to find an alternative site for the recycling centre if we can have it moved.”

By Paddy-Jo Malpas

The tranquil scenery of Orton Woods is a place where many a rambler goes to enjoy the view and the last place on earth where you would expect a great, big, dirty skip. Yet disgusted walker, Keith Smith came across a builders skip blocking his way when out for his daily morning walk.

Not only was the skip dumped near the local beauty spot of Snowdrop Corner, it had also been filled with cement which had set, making it impossible for the skip to be moved.

Mr Smith said: “This is another example of an act of vandalism against the countryside and another cost to the taxpayers of Peterborough for its clearance.”

The sight has been made ever worse by the fact that huge vehicle tyre marks have damaged the area.

Distraught ramblers have tried to contact the Peterborough council, but they are denying all knowledge of being informed of this atrocity.

Peterborough City Council’s community safety manager Christine Graham said: “Now we are aware of this issue, our officers have been down to the footpath to assess the problem and we will remove the skip as soon as we can.”

By Dunstan Carter

‘Every Loser Wins’ sang Nick Berry in the mid 1980’s. And for Burnley FC, losers in the 1988 Sherpa Van Trophy Final, that phrase was never truer as they picked up their runners up medals on that fateful Spring day.

One member of the team however, lost his medal and he’s never tried to get it back.
How does The Skipknow this, I hear you holler!?

Well, six years ago, Ivor Ball, a retired scrap metal worker from Rochdale, found the missing medal in a skip and after years of doing very little about it has recently launched a public appeal to track the owner down.

Ten of the original twelve players who played on that day have been contacted and are all say they still have their medals; as does the manager at the time, Brian Miller. This leaves only the captain, Ray Deakin or utility player, Shaun McGrory as the medal’s rightful owner.

Burnley lost the final 2-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers 18 years ago but the day is still remembered fondly by Burnley fans as the intervening years have been very barren on the medals front. The medal has also been verified by the FA so there’s no chance that it’s a copy or a fake.

Sarah Meakin, a spokesperson for Burnley FC has said the medal will end up in a memorabilia museum if it remains unclaimed.

So, Mr Deakin and Mr McGrory, if you’re reading this article and you’re eager to get the medal back so that you can brag about it to your kids or bore your mates with your loser medal stories down the pub, get in touch with us at pr [at] theskip.net

Losing is nothing to be ashamed of boys!

By Dunstan Carter

Ex-truck driver Jamal Williams is LAUGHING all the way to the bank after launching a successful employment website using a laptop he found in a SKIP!

Mr Williams, 45, found the computer by ACCIDENT whilst working as a skip truck driver in Swindon and his site www.thepolishplumber.com is currently receiving a staggering 12,000 HITS per day.

“It’s all happened overnight” he told The Skip, “and it’s ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. One day I looked into one of the skips I’d collected to see what goodies it might contain and I saw an old waterlogged laptop.

“I took it home and hung it on my washing line to dry out. I switched it on, and to my surprise, it worked perfectly.”

What makes the story even more amazing is that up until he discovered the computer, Mr Williams had never had any computer training in his life. He simply plugged the computer in and started studying at home using library books and free internet software until he had the website designed and primed for action.

“It’s almost beyond belief that a man with no training can set up a fantastic business so cheaply” Mr Williams added.

“The key to the site’s success is its domain name – ‘The Polish Plumber’. The brainwave came when I heard the phrase used on the BBC News about the influx of new emigrants to the UK from Poland. With migration such a hot topic these days, the phrase is hardly out of the media.”

Mr Williams is now hoping to use the wealth that he has created to set up a number of businesses in his native Jamaica but confesses that he will never end his love affair with skips and the treasures they sometimes contain.

“I LOVE LOOKING IN SKIPS” he admitted, “in fact I can’t walk past one without a quick look in.

“Over the years I’ve found printers, cameras and even a set of antique silver spoons. I love it – IT’S BETTER THAN SEX!”

“The streets of Britain may not be paved with gold” Mr Williams concluded, “but the skips and bins are full of golden opportunities”

What a guy!

The Skip Magazine at the RWM Show in September 2006. This is one of our advertisers, Justin Bullard at Griffith Elder & Co. Ltd explaining why The Skip Magazine is the best place to advertise if you sell anything to the Skip Hire Industry:

Do you want to advertise to the industry? If so you can call us on 0844 560 7706 or drop us an email

or Download the media pack

The Skip Magazine at the RWM Show in September 2006. This is one of our advertisers, Chris Oldfield Managing Director of Riverside Waste Machinery Ltd explaining why The Skip Magazine is the best place to advertise if you sell anything to the Skip Hire Industry:

Do you want to advertise to the industry? If so you can call us on 0844 560 7706 or drop us an email

or Download the media pack

This is a short insight into what goes on when we are photographing our skip chicks for The Skip Magazine. It's all in the name of fun!