Our campaign to stop fat, oil and grease (FOG) being poured down sinks, causing sewer blockages, reached thousands of customers during the year.

FOG contributes to three-quarters of all drain and sewer blockages, with about 3,000 properties in the South East flooded each year because of the accumulation of fat, oil and grease in sewers.

As part of our Fight the Fat campaign, we distributed 10,000 ‘fat traps’ to customers in areas prone to blockages. People are asked to pour fat, oil and grease into the traps and throw them away with their household waste.

We also sponsored more than 275 small recycling bins, which are used by Brighton-based recycling co-operative Magpie. The scheme, which received support from Green Party leader and Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas, involves collecting and recycling oils and food waste from homes and businesses in Sussex.

We spread the word among hoteliers during a tour of Brighton’s sewers to encourage them to dispose of cooking fat in an environmentally-friendly way.

In Portsmouth, we unveiled a 3D pavement canvas of a sewer clogged with fat. Visitors to Gunwharf Quays shopping centre were given fat traps and information about the FOG campaign.