Robots, dinosaurs and forests

Two of the UK’s leading boiler manufacturers have launched new initiatives on World Earth Day (22 April) that highlight the importance of sustainability.

Worcester Bosch has published a children’s storybook that highlights the importance of sustainability – thanks to a robot and dinosaurs. A Robot Called B4 is an adventure book for 7-11 year-olds in audio and book format.

It tells the story of Alfie and Ava, who discover a robot that can travel through time and together they go on an epic adventure to the natural beauty of the prehistoric era. The story aims to help children learn about the importance of sustainability in a fun, creative, and engaging way, and to think of ways in which they can make a difference in their own homes and communities, says Worcester Bosch.

Marketing director Victoria Billings says: “We hope that A Robot Called B4 will provide some fun and enjoyment for the young reader as well as reinforce what they learn at school and encourage them to think about how they can improve sustainability at home. We’ve all experienced in these past 12 months how important family time and education at home have been, and our wish is to make the sustainability topic more fun and accessible for families to share.”

Worcester Bosch has also launched a children’s writing competition, the winner of which will see their story developed into a second book later in 2021.

Angellica Bell, A Robot Called B4’s audio narrator, adds: “As a mother of young children, I’m acutely aware of the importance of protecting our planet, and this book is a brilliant way to help educate our future generations about some of the big environmental issues we are facing.”

You can order a copy of A Robot Called B4, listen free on Soundcloud, or get the digital book via Kobo.

Meanwhile, Vaillant has joined forces with environmental charity Earthwatch Europe to expand the Tiny Forest initiative in the UK. The programme aims to plant tiny forests in urban areas where there is limited access to green space for local communities. Together they will create beautiful and accessible green spaces in built-up, urban environments, which can be enjoyed by local residents, schools and communities.

Each Tiny Forest fits within an area the size of a tennis court and is planted with 600 local varieties of trees, shrubs and plants to encourage wildlife, as well as helping to process rainfall and capture carbon. All trees and plants are specially selected to suit the site conditions so the forest can be established quickly and is easy to look after by local volunteers.

Commercial director Steve Cipriano says: “If there is one point that has come out of the past year, it is how important green spaces are to our wellbeing. The first Vaillant Tiny Forest aims to make a real difference to those living in the area, providing them with a space to create, maintain and enjoy. Looking ahead, we’re already excited about future Tiny Forests and working with social housing providers, local authorities and specifiers to create even more urban green spaces across the country.”