One of the best aspects of working in local government communications is the ability to share experiences and materials for the greater good.
by Andreas Christophorou
We often have the same challenges and opportunities to improve and save lives, combined with limited resources to address them. At the start of any communications work, I advise colleagues to look at what our peers are doing, copy aspects of the best approaches and refine the content for our audiences.
Chances are it’s not only been done before but done brilliantly and there is a lot to learn.
However, there are some issues that are new. For the past year, we have been running a #ChargeSafe campaign in Tower Hamlets with London Fire Brigade in response to the growing number of lithium batteries in bikes and scooters which are literally exploding.
This is our chance to share materials to help save lives so we are offering our new #ChargeSafe animation for any local authority or organisation to use.
For us, this started 18 months ago, when we noticed a growing trend. There was one a month, then two, then we started to get fatalities. In some cases, the people being injured or killed were not in the homes where the batteries were catching fire. They were neighbours trapped from evacuating flats because the bike or scooter had blocked the exit.
Tower Hamlets is the most densely populated place in the country. An inner-city borough from the edge of the City of London running eastwards along the Thames including areas such as Canary Wharf. Around 80% of homes are flats and we have the youngest population in London.
Those characteristics meant that these fires were becoming a growing danger to our residents. Sadly, it is also becoming a national issue. Google lithium fires to see tragic stories such as Scott Peden who featured on the front of the Metro in June describing e-bike batteries as ‘ticking timebombs’ after his wife and two children were killed in their Cambridge home.
We don’t want to demonise the industry. Properly bought and maintained ebikes and escooters are providing a relatively safe and more environmentally friendly way of getting around. However, as a new technology and with spare parts being bought on the internet or high street with a lack of regulation, people need to be alert to the dangers.
Our #ChargeSafe campaign offers advice to people on safety measures they can take. What warning signs to look for in their batteries; how to charge safely; and the best way to buy spare parts. We have also written to the Government to urge them to take measures including tightening legislation around the sale of battery parts, and to support local authorities to set up areas for safe charging.
We have just released an animation with some of this advice. It includes an unbranded version for anyone to use which can be found here https://youtu.be/4UyvUTdUy9E (code for embedding is 4UyvUTdUy9E)
Last month, we launched it at an event in Shoreditch with Deliveroo drivers – many of whom rely on ebikes to get around. Early pick up has been good with coverage by both BBC and ITV and use by organisations including housing providers in Tower Hamlets.
If you are interested in other elements of our campaign you can find them by visiting www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/chargesafe or drop me an email at andreaschristophorou@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Andreas Christophorou is director of communications and marketing with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
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