T-Mobile Fund instrumental in reclamation of a landfill

• The T-Mobile Fund contributed to the reclamation of a landfill in Kostelní Hlavno, a town northeast of Prague
• The old Krchovská cesta (Cemetery Path) now offers a pleasant walk and in future visitors can look forward to a cycling path

Prague, 21 November 2007 - The old argillite quarry near Kostelní Hlavno, which had been gradually transformed into a landfill, no longer exists. Thanks to the efforts of the local authorities and a contribution from the T­Mobile Fund, the site has been transformed into a forested meadow. The overgrown path which passes through the area to the town of Sudovo Hlavno will also be renovated so that hikers can enjoy walks as early as in the spring.

T­Mobile employees recommended that their company contribute to the reclamation of the old landfill. Thanks to this support, the once inhospitable place has become a stop for visitors who can relax, exercise, or play with their children there," says Martina Kemrová, Senior Head of Corporate Communication at T­Mobile.

After the argillite quarry was depleted and abandoned, the local people started to fill it with refuse. Later on, in the 1960s and 1970s, furnace ash from the nearby town of Brandýs nad Labem was dumped there as well.

"The landfill is now covered with earth and a small park has been created there," says Lubomír Čamek, local representative of Kostelní Hlavno. "We planted the grass and several trees around it, and we also modified the surroundings. The reclaimed landfill thus perfectly fits into the surrounding landscape."

The total area that was reclaimed is 4,700 m² and the project's budget was CZK 60,000. "It was finished several days ago but the unfavorable weather unfortunately didn't give visitors many chances to appreciate it," says Čamek.

Even though the work is finished, new plans are already being made for further projects. Not far from the reclaimed landfill, there is a wayside shrine and a bench beside an old, disused path connecting Kostelní Hlavno with Sudovo Hlavno. Since the Thirty Years' War, it has been called the Cemetery Path (Krchovská cesta) because it passed a graveyard. The local authorities are currently planning to build a cycling path here. "The shrine and the bench will offer a very pleasant stop on the way, encouraging cyclists and walkers to visit the city," says Lubomír Čamek.

This is the second year that various NGO projects from the whole Czech Republic have received financial contributions from the T­Mobile Employee Fund. The total amount of CZK 2 million will be distributed among 27 projects selected from among 133 recommended by T­Mobile employees. Part of the funding distributed by the T­Mobile Employee Fund is managed by the VIA Foundation.

More information: Kostelní Hlavno Town Hall, e-mail: kostelnihlavno@tiscali.cz, phone: 326 971 082, web: www.kostelnihlavno.cz.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.