Flagship Projects

Each year our regional businesses propose projects of special note for corporate Flagship status; this entitles the chosen charity to up to £100,000 of funding. The Company favours projects where our employees are personally involved, or projects that are close to communities in which we operate, rather than national or global causes.

2011/12

Two Flagship Projects have been designated to receive special funding from International Power for the year 2011-2012: “TECHO” across all Latin America and “Energy for El Romeral” in Chile.

The Flagship Projects reflect IPR’s commitment to support local communities in which International Power operates. International Power will this year provide a total sponsorship amount of approximately £190,000 for the two Flagship Projects (a higher figure than usual as no Flagship funding was awarded in 2010/11).

TECHO

TECHO Region: IPR – GDF SUEZ Latin America
Amount granted: £100,000
About the charity: “TECHO” (Roof) is a non-profit organisation which has been created in 1997 in Chile and is currently working in 19 countries in Latin America. They aim to mobilise youth volunteers to eradicate extreme poverty that affects people in the region. TECHO strives to improve the quality of life of impoverished families through the construction of transitional houses and the implementation of social inclusion programmes. International Power will set up a regional partnership with the charity.

Application of IPR’s funding: The IPR funding will be used for the construction of 20 wind and waterproof houses across Latin America, providing families with safer and healthier shelter. It will also give access to energy for four local communities. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Energy Assistance. IPR – GDF SUEZ Latin America employees will be closely involved.

Energy for El Romeral

Energy for El Romeral Region: IPR – GDF SUEZ Latin America (Chile)
Amount granted: £88,089
About the project: Romeral is a village located in the Coquimbo region in Chile where the Parque Eolico Monte Redondo is situated. The school and central square function are currently without any access to energy.
Application of IPR’s funding: The funding will serve in energising the school (installation of photovoltaic panels) and square, providing IT equipment for the school and donating a vehicle for the transportation of 22 students. Through this project, IPR will bring assistance to the development of a local community.

2009/10

This year’s Flagship Project award was split between two projects, both of which represent International Power’s objective of giving back to the communities in which we operate providing ongoing benefits to those using the facilities for years to come.

Marmara Handicapped Workshop (£50,000)

Person in a wheelchair being lifted into a van This project, located near our Marmara plant in Turkey, will establish a workshop to help handicapped and elderly people become more involved in everyday life. The funding has furnished and equipped a new muscle therapy room and enabled the purchase of both an ambulance and a minibus to provide transport for people to and from the facility.

The nature of the venture ensures the investment has a lasting impact as the workshop’s ongoing running costs will be funded by the Silivri Municipality.

Lord Somers Camp Performing Arts Centre (£36,000)

Lord Somers Camp performing arts centre Lord Somers Camp is a not-for-profit youth development organisation located in Victoria, Australia. This investment will allow the upgrade of outdoor theatre facilities including a new stage, proper seating, lighting, audio visual equipment, and canopy and roofing so the facility can be used in all weather.

The Somers campsite is used for a variety of programmes run for the youth, community, culturally diverse, terminally and chronically ill and disabled, and is also hired by schools and community groups at subsidised prices or at no cost.

All programmes are organised, fundraised, developed and driven entirely by volunteer association members. This project was nominated by one of our Simply Energy employees, Kate Devine, who volunteers at the centre and whose family has a long-standing relationship with the organisation stretching back three generations.

2008/9

In 2009, International Power reacted swiftly to support the relief effort in the wake of the devastating bushfires in Australia both through employees volunteering efforts and financial donations. As a result of this contribution, the Flagship fund was reduced to £50,000 for the year; this was divided between two projects both nominated by our Rugeley plant in the UK:

The John Bamford Primary School UK – for the construction of a new building to be used by a number of local community groups.
The Energy Trail UK – for the construction of an interactive educational trail located in The Wolseley Centre, the headquarters for the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.

The John Bamford Primary School UK

The funding provided through our Flagship scheme is enabling the school to construct a 45 square metre wooden building for use by groups in the surrounding area. The community room is being designed with a flexible layout, so it can be used for a variety of activities including:

mother & baby groups
adult learning
family activity clubs
toy lending library
before & after-school child care

When not in use for these and other activities, the community room will be utilised by the school.

The Energy Trail UK

The Flagship funding is enabling the construction of an interactive educational trail located in The Wolseley Centre, the headquarters for the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.

The trail will provide first-hand experience of alternative green technology to school groups and the public through the provision of large-scale working models of wind, hydro and solar energy. The donation is also funding the production of a pilot Energy Trail education programme for school children that links to, and supports, key areas of the national curriculum including education for sustainable development and the framework for sustainable schools.