Cheshire West and Chester Council: Doorstep Engagement Programme
Background & Context
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CW&C) commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver a borough-wide behavioural change and recycling engagement programme designed to improve recycling participation, increase food waste recycling, reduce contamination and encourage residents to make better use of the Council’s waste and recycling services. The programme was delivered in partnership with Cheshire West Recycling (CWR) and focused on engaging residents directly at their homes to understand barriers to participation and support behaviour change.
The programme operated across a diverse mix of urban, suburban and rural communities and sought to address a range of recycling-related challenges. These included households not participating in food waste collections, contamination of recycling containers, recyclable materials being placed in residual waste bins and the presentation of side waste. The project also needed to adapt to emerging operational priorities throughout delivery, including supporting food caddy distribution, engaging with student populations and helping facilitate the introduction of recycling services within blocks of flats.
Following successful delivery of the initial contract, the programme was extended twice, enabling M·E·L to continue supporting the Council’s evolving waste and recycling objectives.
Approach
M·E·L designed and delivered a large-scale doorstep engagement programme using trained Recycling Advisors (RAs) who worked directly with residents to encourage positive recycling behaviours and address barriers to participation. The project incorporated behavioural science principles, targeted engagement and ongoing operational support.
Recruitment, Training and Mobilisation
M·E·L recruited a dedicated team of:
Eight Recycling Advisors
One Fieldwork Supervisor
A supporting project management team
Prior to fieldwork, all advisors completed a comprehensive two-day training programme jointly delivered by M·E·L, CW&C and CWR. Training covered:
Behavioural insights and application of the COM-B behaviour change model
Effective doorstep engagement techniques
Understanding recycling behaviours
Waste and recycling service knowledge
Tablet-based data collection systems
Health and safety procedures
Lone working protocols
Escalation and reporting procedures
Role-play and practical engagement exercises
As part of the training, advisors also visited the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to gain a practical understanding of how recyclable materials are processed and the impact of contamination on recycling operations.
Targeted Doorstep Engagement
The project adopted a targeted engagement approach using intelligence supplied by CW&C and CWR. Data covering more than 80,000 unique household addresses was analysed and used to generate weekly engagement lists. Advisors were deployed in pairs, improving staff safety, operational support and productivity.
The doorstep engagement programme focused on:
Food waste recycling participation
Correct use of food waste caddies
Proper use of red/grey-lidded recycling bins
Proper use of blue/green-lidded recycling bins
Reducing contamination
Improving recycling participation
Identifying practical barriers to recycling
Supporting access to replacement or additional recycling equipment
Where residents were unavailable, information materials were left and follow-up visits were undertaken where appropriate. Advisors worked flexible schedules, including evenings and weekends, to maximise opportunities for resident contact.
Additional Engagement Activity
As the programme evolved, M·E·L adapted delivery to support additional Council priorities:
Food Caddy Ordering: Advisors were equipped with mobile Wi-Fi technology to enable food waste caddies to be ordered immediately during doorstep conversations, removing barriers to participation and improving responsiveness.
Student Engagement: Targeted engagement activity was delivered within the Garden Quarter student area to support awareness and participation in a trial Pop-Up recycling collection service. Follow-up activity reinforced key messages and encouraged continued participation.
Flats Engagement and Service Rollout: Advisors supported the introduction of recycling and food waste services within blocks of flats through direct engagement and large-scale distribution of food waste caddies.
Outputs
Fieldwork Outputs
The programme achieved substantial reach and engagement across the borough:
57,981 household visits completed
17,528 face-to-face discussions with residents
632 callbacks or appointments arranged
An overall discussion rate of 30%, meeting the programme target
Among residents who engaged:
89% were willing and engaged
9% were ambivalent
Only 2% were negative or uninterested
This demonstrated a highly positive response to the engagement approach and strong resident receptiveness to recycling advice and support.
The most frequently discussed topics included:
Food waste recycling and brown caddies
General recycling guidance
Correct use of red/grey-lidded recycling bins
Correct use of blue/green-lidded recycling bins
Residual waste management
These conversations provided valuable behavioural insights and enabled advisors to address barriers directly with residents.
Flats Rollout Support
As part of the flats service rollout:
3,526 properties were visited
874 residents received food waste caddies directly
2,417 caddies were successfully delivered to properties
This accelerated implementation of the new food waste collection service and ensured residents had the equipment required to participate.
Analysis and Reporting
M·E·L captured engagement outcomes through tablet-based data collection systems, allowing detailed monitoring of resident interactions, discussion topics and engagement quality. Fieldwork intelligence was analysed to identify participation barriers, operational challenges and opportunities for service improvement.
Outputs included:
Ongoing operational reporting
Monitoring of engagement outcomes
Analysis of resident responses and behaviours
Intelligence to support service planning and rollout activities
A comprehensive technical report summarising programme delivery, outcomes, adaptations and lessons learned
The findings were used by CW&C to support recycling service improvements, food waste participation initiatives, recycling communications and the rollout of services to new resident groups and housing types.
M·E·L Research is pleased to welcome four new colleagues to our growing team, strengthening our research and evaluation expertise as we continue to expand our services and support clients.
The appointments of Laura Karban, Associate Director; Bethan Jewsbury, Senior Evaluation Managers; and Chloe Parker, Research Manager, alongside Rhoslyn Davies, who joins us on a short-term basis to provide additional senior evaluation support, bring a wealth of experience across social research, evaluation, public policy…
It was an absolute honour to attend the Women’s Health Conference in London this week, bringing together clinicians, policymakers, campaigners and others passionate about improving women’s health.
As a researcher specialising in women’s health social research, I was excited to have the opportunity to learn, be challenged and exchange ideas with people who share that passion. And I wasn’t disappointed.
There has (quite rightly) been a lot of discussion recently about the gender health gap. But some of the evidence shared…
We are pleased to be working with the MS Society on new health and care social research exploring how health and care services can better support people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and help reduce avoidable hospital admissions.
The health and care social research study will focus on opportunities for earlier intervention and more coordinated, preventative support, while recognising that hospital admission is sometimes clinically necessary. It will…
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at Collections Inside & Out, a symposium hosted at National Trust Chirk Castle & Garden, bringing together people working across gardens, horticulture, heritage, collections and interpretation.
I was, perhaps, a slight interloper among so many people with deep horticultural expertise but every presentation was incredibly interesting and I learned a lot – and broadly managed to follow the general flow of what was being said (still not 100% au fait with taxa…
We’re pleased to share that our Commercial Director, Elliot Simmonds, will be speaking at the Collections Inside & Out symposium at National Trust Chirk Castle & Garden on 24 September 2026. Bringing together professionals working across heritage collections, gardens and landscapes, the symposium will explore the relationship between indoor and outdoor heritage and the opportunities created by thinking about them as part of a connected visitor experience.
Elliot’s session, “Integrating Indoor…
M·E·L Research has been named the winner of the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Value & Ethical Research 2026 at the UK Enterprise Awards.
The award recognises the values that shape both the work we choose to undertake and the way we deliver it. From building trauma-informed practices into our research to improving inclusion and reinvesting in the communities around us, social responsibility is part of how we operate every day.
M·E·L Research joined the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) at the House of Lords this week for the launch of a new report exploring the experiences of dyslexic young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).
Tamsin Maries, Senior Research Manager, and Elliot Simmonds, Commercial Manager, represented M·E·L Research at the event…
New UK-wide research from M·E·L Research’s SPARK report shows improving mental health indicators alongside continuing exposure to suicide, widespread lifetime suicidal thoughts and significant gaps in practical knowledge.
Suicide prevention depends on understanding not only how many people are affected, but also how confident the public feel about recognising risk, starting difficult conversations and finding appropriate support. The Spring 2026 SPARK report from M·E·L Research brings these issues together, providing a detailed picture of attitudes…
