On 14th and 15th June, DCW took part in the third National Refuse Championships in Weston-Super-Mare. The event which DCW also sponsored, was held in aid of Alzheimer’s Society, which funds research into the debilitating disease.
The event kicked off with a ‘DECK’ day on Friday 14th, as part of the Championships, in which manufacturers, waste collectors, colleges and training companies gathered to give Demonstrations; Educate spectators on their work and inform people of Careers and share Knowledge of training opportunities in the waste industry.
The main race took place on the Saturday and consisted of a series of heats comprising 26 teams of drivers and loaders from waste operators across the UK. Each crew put their heart and soul into racing their weighted wheelie bins and refuse trucks up and down Weston-Super-Mare’s long beachfront.
Thousands of spectators gathered to cheer on the teams and enjoy the competitive atmosphere. After missing out on the final last year, the DCW team had been training hard and arrived ready to give it their all, entering two teams in this year’s competition.
Unfortunately, Ben, Rob, Shaun, Kate and Emily (Team 2) failed to make it through the first heat. However, Jamie, Nathan, John, Andy and Scott (Team 1) soared through the first round, winning their heats against Bristol Waste and Pirtek, and retired for a break before the next round.
In the second round, Team 1 team put in a strong performance but, despite their best efforts, were sadly knocked out. Ultimately, the 2019 National Refuse Championship crown was retained by Wiltshire-based Grist Environmental, who were presented with a trophy and £3,000 worth of Centre Parcs vouchers.