NEWS FROM NPOWER

BEN FOGLE MAKES A SPLASH WITH NEW CAMPAIGN TO INSPIRE UK ‘GREENAGERS’
npower launches the annual Climate Cops SOS campaign, to reward kids for improving their local environment

THURSDAY 17TH MARCH – Ben Fogle cuts a striking resemblance to Colin Firth in the iconic still from the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice after performing a ‘jog-and-dip’ – the fully clothed lake diving initiation that winners of npower’s Climate Cops SOS campaign will face later this year.

The campaign is an annual competition for schoolkids to prove their eco credentials, by running a project to help the environment in their local area. As a reward, npower will give the most deserving kids the chance to spend time with Ben Fogle at a weeklong residential Green Course run by The Outward Bound Trust at one of their centres in the Lake District.

As well as the ‘jog-and-dip’ Ben Fogle-style, the kids will embark on a range of adventurous activities, from fell walking to canoeing, giving them the chance to learn more about the great outdoors, live with minimum environmental impact and build their eco-consciousness at the same time.

Ben Fogle said:

“It’s been such fun to experience what the winners of npower’s Climate Cops SOS will face when they first arrive at The Outward Bound Trust’s Ullswater centre – it really is throwing them in at the deep end!

“It is so important that young people are introduced to green initiatives and rewarded in an inspiring and creative way; there are adventurous ways of being green!

“npower’s Climate Cops SOS gives young people the chance to make a real change in their community as well as taking part in a week of adventurous and challenging activities requiring their own energy and nothing more.”

Clare McDougall, npower’s head of education and community, said:

“Each and every year we’re impressed and inspired by the innovative and imaginative ideas the nation’s ‘greenagers’ come up with to improve the environment in their area.

“With past npower Climate Cops SOS teens making their school litter free or getting wasted food recycled, cleaning up local rivers or organising car share schemes; we’re expecting great things from 2011’s contenders and know we won’t be disappointed.

“An adventure with Ben Fogle is a dream come true for would-be adventurers and any teenager with a love for the great outdoors, so competition is sure to be tough!”

‘Greenagers’ can enter by visiting www.npower.com/climatecops.

-ENDS-

For further information, images or interviews with Ben Fogle and npower representatives please contact the npower press office at Frank:
npower@frankpr.it or 020 7693 6999



Notes to Editors:

About the npower Climate Cops Programme
In its fourth year, npower’s Climate Cops programme inspires children aged 4-14 to make positive differences to the environment – showing them how to take action (both at home and school) to use energy more efficiently. npower provides a combination of ‘green makeovers’ for schools including free energy audits, helping to implement tailor made energy efficiency measures to reduce their carbon footprint and helping children learn how to be greener.

npower’s Climate Cops programme has won an array of prestigious awards including; The IVCA Clarion – Climate Change Communication Award, a ‘Gold’ Green Apple Award from the Green Organisation and the Environment Utility Industry Achievement Award. The awards are not-for-profit and recognise best practice in communicating the importance of CSR, sustainable development, social inclusion and ethical debate. And in 2010, Climate Cops has been awarded a Marketing Week Award and a Big Tick from Business in the Community.
http://www.ivca.org/ivca/live/news/2008/2008-ivca-clarion-award-winners.html


About npower
• npower is one of the UK's largest electricity suppliers and has 6.6 million customer accounts across the UK.
• npower sponsors The Football League
• npower has been awarded platinum status in Business in the Community’s CR Index and is one of twenty-nine companies to have achieved the CommunityMark since its launch. All CommunityMark achievers have been recognised for demonstrating excellence in their holistic and strategic approach to community investment.
About The Outward Bound Trust
The Outward Bound Trust is an educational charity which raises over £5m a year in order to make an Outward Bound® course available to up to 27,000 young people a year. Money raised by The Outward Bound Trust enables children and young adults to take part in residential experiential learning courses where adventurous outdoor activities inspire and encourage them to learn about respect for themselves, their peers, nature and the environment. Outdoor skills and adventures such as: canoeing, orienteering, cutter sailing, abseiling, raft building, gorge walking and overnight camping expeditions, help to develop key skills such as team building, self-confidence and personal responsibility, in a safe yet challenging and educationally structured format. Every year more than 60% of all participants are supported by The Outward Bound Trust’s bursary scheme. Monies raised by The Outward Bound Trust come from a combination of individual private donations, corporate support, trusts and foundations, and various fundraising activities and events.
Please visit www.outwardboundtrust.org.uk




®Outward Bound and the Compass Rose are each registered trademarks of The Outward Bound Trust.