Two hundred primary schools across Yorkshire are set to learn about reducing energy use thanks to a new £50,000 partnership between Leeds Rugby Foundation and British Gas, the UK’s biggest energy provider.
The partnership means that Leeds Rugby Foundation can extend its outreach work and British Gas can roll out its education programme, Generation Green, to even more schools in the area, through the foundation’s links with 200 schools across Yorkshire.
Generation Green is an education programme for schoolchildren, their teachers and families, delivered by British Gas. The programme inspires young people to look at new ways to reduce energy use in schools and the wider community. It includes free of charge learning resources, interactive workshops and investment in millions of pounds’ worth sustainable energy technologies for schools throughout the UK.
Sarah Fanthorpe, British Gas Head of Customer Services in Leeds, said: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Leeds Rugby Foundation to deliver Generation Green to more schools in Yorkshire. Hundreds of children will learn first-hand how to reduce the energy they use and will have the opportunity to think about how it could be used in the future.”
As part of the Generation Green initiative, year five and six pupils will be asked to think about how much power they use whilst learning about energy past and present. The programme also challenges pupils to get creative and come up with their own energy production ideas.
Leeds Rugby Foundation has a long history of community outreach work within schools and families, reaching more than 50,000 young people a year. Commenting on the recent partnership Leeds Rugby Foundation’s Partnership Manager, Davide Longo said: “British Gas’ sponsorship will provide core funding to maintain the existing work of the Foundation and also increase our offer through the creation of one new post, so we can work in new parts of Yorkshire.”
Cookridge’s Holy Trinity Primary School in Leeds is one of the first schools to have taken part in the project. Jennifer Taylor, a year five teacher at the school commented: “As a school we’re always trying to find ways to teach our pupils about the importance of global issues and the conservation of energy, and having experts in to provide us with these fun interactive sessions brings the discussion to life.”
For further information on Generation Green please visit http://www.generationgreen.co.uk/ or if you’re a school in Leeds interested in a volunteering lesson for one of your KS2 classes please email: Siobhan.Walpole@leedsrugbyfoundation.org