Mersey Basin campaign
Unilever now gives £50 000 a year to the Mersey Basin campaign, sponsors its annual Dragonfly Awards and has set up the Dibbinsdale sub-group to focus on the protection of the River Dibbin, a Mersey's tributary that passes through one of Lever Fabergé's sites.
MBC achievements
The Mersey Basin covers 4 680 km2, has 5 million inhabitants and 2 000 km of watercourses. Since its formation the MBC has helped to transform it from what was described as "the dirtiest river system in Europe" into a thriving habitat that attracts otters, 300 000 migratory birds and 70 fish species. It has also helped to bring degraded land back into community use.
Dragonfly awards
These annual awards, sponsored by Unilever, recognise outstanding contributions to protecting the Mersey Basin area. Winners are selected from five categories: individual, community, heritage, group and school. In 2001, winners included The East Manchester Community Boat Project, for tackling crime along a stretch of canal by raising community awareness, and Les Wooton, for developing a wildlife corridor through a densely populated area of his hometown Crewe, in Cheshire.
The Dibbinsdale Brook project
Lever Fabergé at Port Sunlight has adopted the Dibbinsdale Brook catchment area, as part of the MBC's River Valley's Action 2005 initiative. The site is being used to put our SWIM principles (Sustainable Water Integrated Catchment Management) into practice. Lever Fabergé has brought together members of non-governmental organisations, community and wildlife groups and teachers to assess the Dibbin's needs and improve the local environment.
A nearby reedbed, vital for the health of the river system, was found to be dying due to poor water management and sewage discharges. The project will regulate the river flow to encourage reed growth, establish a new reed bed to tackle the sewage problem, and improve access and visitor information. Lever Fabergé employees have cleaned an area around the Dibbin which is being developed to attract birds, which in turn will attract school projects.
