It’s the council service that’s brought children flocking back to the dining halls with an exciting, fresh approach to school meals.
It’s a multi-award winning team that’s always ready to try new ideas.
In just over a year since its creation Wigan Council’s catering and cleaning service Metrofresh has swept all before it.
So are there any challenges left for this top flight team?
How about saving the planet, one school at a time?
A little ambitious perhaps but Metrofresh is certainly doing its bit to help the environment by making school cleaning greener and cheaper.
To coincide with National Energy Saving Week, Metrofresh has released the findings of a five-month trial of a revolutionary new cleaning system that’s saved thousands and is eco-friendly.
The team joined forces with cleaning giant JohnsonDiversey to test its hard surface, floor and washroom system called J-Flex at St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School. And the results of the five-month trial were pretty impressive. They showed by using the system the school could reduce its packaging waste by 93kg and save on water heating costs.
Metrofresh Operations Manager Ken Baxter says:
" The school challenged us to clean their school in a more environmentally-friendly and cost effective way but to keep our very high standards.
“Lots of local authorities have seen the system before but they couldn’t see it working in a high school. The truth is I worked really well.”
The J-Flex system simplifies the cleaning process and uses cold water rather than hot so it cuts down on heating costs making it much cheaper than the traditional ‘mop and bucket’ approach.
Ken adds:
“The Metrofresh staff at the school are very positive about the new system. They were pleased to be chosen as trailblazers for the region.”
It is now hoped that savings because of the new system will be even higher because it also cuts down on water usage.
Metrofresh Strategic Manager Debbie Clarke says: “In today’s world we need to do everything can to make our operations as eco-friendly and as cost-effective as possible.
“Children realise the benefits of a greener future because it is their future and because we work with schools it is up to us to support them. The school is continuing to use the system and the cleaning team has been awarded Metrofresh’s Cleaning Team of the Year for its efforts. We are hoping to introduce the system into other schools based on this success.”
