STAFF at a Monmouth community base are hoping to make the biggest reduction to its carbon footprint in a challenge with two other centres in Wales.

Bridges Community Centre has signed up to the Welsh Government’s ‘Climate Change Challenge’, which has meant making numerous changes to the building to make it more green.

Out have gone inefficient appliances to be replaced with items such as a smart meter to monitor energy use and special push taps in toilets to prevent wasting water.

Around 1,000 people per week use the centre at Drybridge Park, and the challenge will see how these new tools help over the next 12 months.

At the end of this period, a judging panel will compare the centre’s carbon savings, the range and effectiveness of its activities and how many people they have persuaded to act on climate change, with two centres – the Pontrobert Community Centre in Powys and Bloomfield Community Centre in Pembrokeshire.

Deputy centre manager Heather Vincent said she has seen the benefit so far, in terms of cutting costs, educating local children and helping the environment.

She said: “By installing water butts in the gardens we are able to use an abundant natural resource – rainwater. “Low carbon considerations are now an integral part of the centre’s planning, and will continue to be after the challenge ends.”