Information on Loughborough

Young energy savers presented with prize

Posted on 13/01/2010

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

12 January 2010

Young energy savers presented with prize ***Photo opportunity: 3pm, Friday 15th January at Thringstone Primary School, Henson’s Lane, Thringstone, Leicestershire. LE67 8LJ ***

Youngsters from Thringstone Primary School are to be rewarded for their outstanding efforts to save energy.

The school will be presented with a renewable energy education kit by ENABLE (Environmental Action for a Better Leicestershire) Chair Professor Mike Preston at celebratory assembly on Friday.

During Big Switch Off week pupils pulled the plug on wasteful habits and cut their energy use by more than 38 per cent, more than 24 other Leicestershire schools that took part in the contest.

They identified and turned off equipment such as computers, overhead projectors and interactive whiteboards that were left on unnecessarily at break and lunch times as part of the initiative.

Pupils took meter readings the week before the competition and then again afterwards to see how much energy they saved.

Members of the school’s Eco Club acted as monitors, checking equipment was switched off during their breaks and at the end of the day.

The Eco Club also planned the competition and made its own recycled trophy. This was presented to the Year five Snow Leopards class, which proved the best at turning off equipment.

The energy savings equated to cost savings of around £15.60 for the week – about £811.20 if this was kept up for the year.

Teacher at Thringstone Primary Sam Widdowson said: "‘The children took the competition incredibly seriously and made a great effort to ensure they were saving energy.

"I think they have been implementing the rules at home too. We are very proud of what they achieved and we want to carry on saving as much energy as possible and use the renewable energy education kit to explore new energy sources for the school."

Courtney Cliff (10) from the Snow Leopards class said: "We were very happy to win the trophy and made a special effort to switch off all week.

"We will try to do this more often I told my Mum and Dad that we had won in school and we are switching off more stuff at home now."

Chairman of ENABLE, Prof Mike Preston, said: "I would like to congratulate Thringstone Primary School for the huge effort it made in saving energy during Big Switch Off week. keep up the good work."

A similar week-long schools’ challenge has been run in Rutland, supported by Rutland Friends of the Earth. The winner will also be presented with a renewable energy education kit.

The Big Switch Off is a partnership led by ENABLE and local authorities across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, together with the Rural Community Council, Groundwork Leicester, Leicestershire and Central Networks.

www.leics.gov.uk/ProtectingOurPlanet

www.leics.gov.uk/BigSwitchOff

Notes:

*The school’s energy saving is based on the assumption its average energy price is 12p per kilowatt hour

Energy equivalent to 66,000 100 watt light bulbs being turned off for a week was saved during the Big Switch Off event which took place from October 12-18.

Central Networks recorded consumption as being 0.5 per cent lower for the week than expected across the whole area (which included Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland) amounting to a financial saving of almost £50,000 – this would add up to approximately £2.6 million a year.