Anyone who tuned into the Band of Builders facebook live auction last Saturday evening, 17th December, which was broadcast via the Band of Builders and Builders Talk group facebook pages, could be forgiven for thinking the event’s organiser Addam Smith was going to take the rest of the year off. (If you haven’t heard Addam and the Band of Builders (BoB) story yet, you can read more here.)

Saturday’s event was a huge success, raising over £8,500 towards the purchase of Keith Ellick’s house, but organising, promoting and running the auction was no small task and by the end of it most people would have been ready to put their feet up.

But not Addam. This week Addam has been busy with his final task of the year, creating the #IliftedKeith video which features images of tradespeople and companies up and down the country showing how they have contributed to lifting Keith – whether it’s by buying a BoB hoodie or simply by sending a message of support.

Addam is planning to release the video at 10.00am on Boxing Day via Thunderclap, a crowdspeaking platform which allows a single message to be shared via multiple social media accounts flash mob-style – a bit like a virtual round of applause.

Addam hopes this will make the video and the BoB cause go viral but it’s also a chance for Addam to recognise those who have helped him out along the way. After all this is not just Keith and Addam’s story but it is also the British building industry’s, with the campaign’s success reflecting a generosity of spirit that is something for everyone involved to be proud of. As has become the BoB tagline: “Anything is possible when builders get together.”

www.bandofbuilders.com

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People with more money than sense can now take home the Christmas gadget to end all gadgets, in the form of the new, limited edition Ultimate Christmas Drone.

The drone, which can be purchased from the UK drone e-tailer, DronesDirect.co.uk for a mere £1199.00, makes the perfect little Christmas elf and is even equipped to dress the Christmas tree.

Deck the halls with the limited-edition Ultimate Christmas Drone, which boasts a unique attachment, situated on the landing gear, to assist with the fiddly assembly of tinsel, lights and baubles galore.

Who knew that decorating the tree could be so much fun? What’s more, you won’t need to endure the stress of getting out your ladders, thanks to the drones more than adequate flying maximum control range of 2km.

Little ones and grown-ups alike will enjoy loading up the drone and watching the action unfold with the ceremonial placing of the angel on top of the tree. Pilots can avoid the hubbub and sit back and relax as they take the controls and practice their precision, all from the comfort of an armchair.

Designed to spread festive magic across the land, observe in awe as the discreet hovering drone scatters twinkling snowflakes on demand.

Don’t fret if the snow doesn’t fall this Christmas. This vamped-up version of DJI’s popular Phantom 4, features a snow sprinkler. Designed to spread festive magic across the land, observe in awe as the discreet hovering drone scatters twinkling snowflakes on demand. Brits, young and old, won’t be able to escape the festive feeling as they watch the silver foil flakes fall to the ground as the drone takes to the skies.

The fun can commence year after year, either indoors or out, thanks to the Phantom 4’s in-built collision avoidance technology, which will ensure longevity. Watch as the nifty little gadget navigates itself around the Christmas decorations, through doorways and away from anything that crosses its path.

If love is in the air this holiday season, then let the Christmas drone play cupid. On hand to capture those mistletoe moments, the festive flying gadget comes complete with a spring of mistletoe and a 4K HD ‘mistletoe cam’. The ideal ice breaker and a fun feature that allows you to record festive memories from a new angle.

A pre-Christmas zero-tolerance nationwide crackdown on fly-tippers is underway  – as councils up and down the country use new powers to seize and crush vehicles used by the dumpers.

Councils are also calling for a legal loophole – which means enforcement officers have to give some fly-tippers seven days written warning before inspecting them and seizing evidence – to be closed immediately to help them tackle the growing problem.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, says the no-nonsense approach comes as fly-tippers are becoming increasingly brazen with some operators even dumping next to ‘no fly-tipping’ signs.

Councils are also reporting a significant rise in the so-called ‘man with van’ phenomenon. This involves cold callers offering to ‘dispose’ of unwanted household goods like fridges, mattresses, and furniture for cash, which are then fly-tipped. Households are being warned by councils to only use reputable operators who can prove they dispose of rubbish responsibly. Cash in hand is usually a sign they aren’t.

The call comes as the cost of clearing up fly-tipping in England has hit nearly £50 million, with councils having to deal with almost 900,000 incidents every 12 months. Latest figures show the number of recorded incidents rose by almost 6 per cent for 2014/15 compared with 2013/14, while the clear-up costs increased by 11 per cent. Councils are carrying out over half a million enforcement actions every year, costing local taxpayers almost £18 million.

Commercial waste is the second largest waste type contributing to fly-tipping incidents in England. Almost 9 per cent of incidents in England in 2014/15 were of commercial waste. There was a 18 per cent increase in commercial waste incidents from 65,000 in 2013/14 to 77,000 in 2014/15, latest figures reveal.

The LGA has long called for the system for tackling unscrupulous fly-tippers to be overhauled. It successfully campaigned for councils to be able to issue on-the-spot Fixed Penalty Notices by council enforcement officers to help tackle small-scale fly-tipping, like dumping items such as pieces of broken furniture, old televisions and mattresses.

These new powers, which were introduced in May, allow councils to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £400 for fly-tippers who make residents’ lives hell and cost taxpayers millions of pounds.

These new powers, which were introduced in May, allow councils to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £400 for fly-tippers who make residents’ lives hell and cost taxpayers millions of pounds.

Residents and businesses play a key role in helping keep streets clean by reporting fly-tips. Many councils now offer smartphone apps to make this easier. Businesses are required by law to dispose of waste responsibly. Councils can advise on what they need to do, and how to find a reputable waste removal company.

LGA Environment spokesman Cllr Martin Tett said: “Councils are taking a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping and this means using every power at their disposal – including seizing and destroying vehicles used by the dumpers.

“At a time when councils face difficult choices about services in light of reducing budgets, they are having to spend a vast amount each year on tackling litter and fly-tipping. This is money that would be better spent on vital services such as filling potholes and caring for the elderly. Litter and fly-tipping is environmental vandalism – it’s unpleasant, unnecessary and unacceptable.

“The Government has responded to our call for councils to be able to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for small scale fly-tipping – and this is a big step in the right direction. Councils also need a faster and more effective legal system which means fly-tippers are given hard-hitting fines for more serious offences. Local authorities should also be able to recoup all prosecution costs, rather than be left out of pocket.

“Not only does fly-tipping create an eyesore for residents, it is also a serious public health risk, creating pollution and attracting rats and other vermin.

“There are a number of additional changes that would help tackle littering and fly-tipping, including sharing more of the responsibility with product producers – such as mattress and chewing gum manufacturers – to contribute to the costs of clear up.

“Councils use enforcement powers proportionately and take a range of different approaches to raise awareness and change culture. This includes providing advice and encouraging residents to report incidents and businesses to keep areas next to their premises clean and clear of litter and mess that can attract dumping.”

Fly tippers are increasingly being caught in the act on CCTV such as this fly-tipper in Croydon.

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