29th April

Bandvulc Tyres, Ivybridge - Category winners of the Carbon Reduction DEBI award 2009, Patrick O’Connell, director of Bandvulc Tyres, will give a tour of the premises and information on how they have managed to reduce energy usage on site and in return minimise their carbon footprint.  You will be amazed how many further improvements have been made since we last visited in 2007.

21st May

The Woolly Shepherd, Dunkeswell - Overall winners of the 2009 DEBI Awards, we are delighted to have the opportunity to meet Val Grainger at her workshop in Dunkeswell.  Val Grainger, The Woolly Shepherd, produces felt for fashion and horticulture and insulation from wool, wool waste and other waste fibre.  Val will give a tour of the facilities and a background to all their products, which will be available to inspect and to buy! Anyone wishing to make a piece of fashion felt from local sheeps wool or a hanging basket liner from recycled wool will have the opportunity to do so. Please wear clothes you do not mind getting a bit woolly!

1st July

Otter Brewery, Luppitt, Nr Honiton - Otter Brewery is located in the heart of the Blackdown Hills. Established in 1990 its aim was to produce beers that were different to the mass produced and artificially flavoured ones dominating the market.  Sustainability plays a key role at every stage of the process for Otter Brewery from the buildings it is produced in, to locally sourced malt, through to the water used for the beer.  Our visit to Otter Brewery will include a tour of the beer making process and information about their new eco-building, followed by a sample of the beer and a barbecue.

22nd July

Cycle Ride - We meet at Exmouth on the cycle path near to the railway station.  We will then ride bikes to Lympstone where we will have a drink, snack and talk about Sustrans and the National Cycle Network, stopping at various places to discuss the path construction.  We will then return back to Exmouth.  If needed we can arrange some bikes to hire from Exmouth but would encourage members to bring their own. Anyone not wishing to cycle could go each way on the train meeting up at Lympstone for the drink, snack and talk.

19th August

Paignton Zoo, Paignton - Previous overall award winner Paignton Zoo will be providing DEBI members a chance to see behind the scenes of one of the most beautiful and largest zoos in England.  One of the interesting projects that the zoo has undertaken recently has been the Verticrop project. This sustainable hydroponics installation is the first of its kind in Europe and the first in a zoo or botanic garden anywhere in the world. As the zoo spends in excess of £200,000 a year on animal feed this is a project with the ability to have a large impact on the zoo's footprint and provide a public exhibit. Recent figures are suggesting the benefit over traditional field crops of up to 20 times over while requiring as little as 5% of the normal water supply. As well as looking at this, visitors will be taken to the crocodile swamp, where a biomass boiler and rainwater harvesting systems are working to reduce the operational impact of the enclosure.

23rd September

Leaderflush & Shapland, Barnstaple - DEBI Members Leaderflush Shapland, part of the new SIG Interiors Manufacturing Division, are the UK’s leading performance door and doorset manufacturer. One of Leaderflush Shapland’s four manufacturing sites, is in Barnstaple and specialises in the manufacture of bespoke doorsets that meet exact performance criteria for radiation shielding, sound reduction of up to 46RwdB, fire resistance of up to 120 minutes and security. With a wide range of decorative finishes available including veneers, laminates, high impact PVC, paint and our innovative new facing option Envision, Leaderflush Shapland doors and doorsets offer architects and specifiers complete design freedom. As Leaderflush Shapland is essentially a timber based manufacturing company, they are committed to using 100% sustainable timber from ethical suppliers.  We will enjoy a tour of the manufacturing plant with plenty of opportunity for questions and answers.

14th October

Environmental Legislation and Environmental Insurance update, Topsham - Ashfords Solicitors and the Pavey Group will be providing us with bite-sized reviews of recent developments in environmental law – legislation, case-law and insurance. With plenty of opportunity for questions and answers the update will take place at The Cellar in Topsham, home of Pebblebed wines where we will enjoy some refreshments afterwards.