Avondale Square abseilers raise hundreds for local charity

The six-strong group took up the challenge after seeing energy efficiency improvement works carried out by abseil to blocks of flats on the City of London Corporation's Avondale Square Estate just off Old Kent Road.

Two residents who had their homes improved by the works took part in the event alongside representatives from the City of London Corporation and contractors Keepmoat.

Lisa Nazer, 37, has lived on the Avondale Square Estate all her life and is the chair of the tenants' and residents' association. She said of the abseil down the Centre Point tower block: "It was one of the scariest things I have ever done, apart from giving birth.

"It took about ten minutes to get to the bottom and I was shaking by the time my feet touched the ground.

"It was a great thing to be able to do, I haven't seen the estate from that height before and you could see everyone peering out of their windows to get a glimpse of me as I sailed down.

"The money raised will really help our community and I am now hoping to do a skydive to raise more funds."

The daring group sailed past 18 floors, dropping around 140 feet, to raise cash for the Rotherhithe-based Time and Talents. The charity will receive £700 from the event.

The energy efficiency work, completed six weeks ago, saw Keepmoat pump cavity wall insulation into the voids of the walls in an effort to reduce residents' energy bills.

South Bermondsey councillor Paul Kyriacou, who took part in the event, said: "I haven't got the best head for heights so to be honest it was a bit of an unnerving experience!

"But I was really pleased to be part of the abseil to celebrate the end of the insulation works by Keepmoat on the Avondale Square Estate, and raise money for local charity Time and Talents at the same time."

The works, carried out on both high and medium rise blocks at Avondale Square, will help drive down the energy bills of households, with residents expected to save an estimated £140 per year on their energy bills and projected to save more than 7,500 tonnes of CO2.

Keepmoat's colossal cavity wall insulation project saw the abseil team drill and inject insulation bead into the walls while using their legs, harnesses and rope for balance.

The eco abseilers, made up of a team of trained professionals from Avalon Sustainable Energy Solutions, spent six weeks working eight hour days in order to complete the project. Keepmoat carried out the project by abseil in order to minimise disruption to tenants who would otherwise have to put up with weeks of scaffolding.