NEWS RELEASES
13 is lucky for some
14th April 2004
THE 13 April this year turned out to be a very lucky day for Mannings Heath resident Janet Goldring.
It could easily have been very unlucky instead.
Early that morning, Mrs Goldring realised that her treasured diamond bracelet and sapphire pendant were missing and could not be found anywhere.
Having unsuccessfully searched her entire home from top to bottom, the only option left was that the family antique heirlooms given to her by her late grandmothers could have been thrown into the weekly refuse by mistake.
The only trouble with this theory was that early working refuse operatives at Horsham District Council had already picked up the refuse by 7am that day and Mrs Goldring’s refuse was therefore fast on its way to join thousands of tonnes of waste at the local tip.
“I just didn’t know what to do,” said Mrs Goldring, “but I rang the District Council totally distressed and asked for their help.
“I thought it would be a waste of time calling and I could hardly speak but the jewellery is very important to me sentimentally and I really thought I had lost it for good."
Within minutes of receiving her call, a fast acting Jade Bibby, customer care assistant at Horsham District Council, alerted her boss Chris Moon and then the refuse crew and operators of the waste tip, Viridor Waste Management, at Small Dole.
Cllr Robert Nye, Cabinet Member for the Environment at Horsham District Council, takes up the story:
“By this time, the refuse vehicle was full and already at the refuse tip but fast action by our team and the site operators put a halt to it being unloaded.
“It very nearly got emptied out and the contents lost for ever.
“Mrs Goldring and her son in law Chris Payne were then invited to come and identify her refuse, having first been kitted out with the necessary safety protection gear.
“Thankfully by 1 pm that day, a delighted Mrs Goldring was handed the lost jewellery to the relief of us all.
“I would like to say well done to all concerned, not only to our Council staff but importantly to Viridor Waste Management too.
“Whilst this is not something we can do every time, if this sort of thing happens we will always try to help anyone in similar circumstances, if we can.”
Mrs Goldring added:
“All of my praise must go to the team at Horsham District Council which stopped the refuse lorry and also to the tip people, Viridor Waste Management, at Small Dole.
“It eventually turned out that my husband had accidentally thrown away the jewellery, which was in a carrier bag.”
Ends
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(01403) 215549