News from npower

14th October 2008

BRITAIN’S GOT GREEN TALENT
Piers Morgan announces the UK’s Top 100 ‘green-agers’

Piers Morgan and TV presenter Konnie Huq today announced the UK’s top 100 ‘green-agers’, who have been hand selected to take part in npower’s Climate Cops programme and receive coaching from an array of green experts. The latest instalment of the £20 million programme kicked off this morning with the npower ‘Green SOS Academy’ a first of its kind workshop, specially created to help motivate 11 to 13 year old eco-aware students to turn their passion for the environment into positive action.

Chosen from hundreds of school entries, the 100 stand-out finalists are crusading to make changes in their local communities, including transforming recycling programmes, introducing outdoor classrooms and enforcing car-sharing schemes for drop-off parents.

The npower ‘Green SOS Academy’ is a bespoke workshop designed to give practical tips and tricks on how to turn these ideas into reality. As part of the day the students participated in interactive sessions led by:

- Piers Morgan: With over twenty years of media experience under his belt, Piers tutored the students on how to harness the media to publicise their cause
- Konnie Huq: As a favourite tween media presenter and aspiring ‘green queen’, Konnie hosted the day and inspired the students to take their green message to their peers
- Eugenie Harvey, We Are What We Do Founder: one of the minds behind Anya Hindmarch’s ‘I’m not a plastic bag’, the book ‘Change The World For A Fiver’ and the latest offering ‘Teach Your Granny to Text and Other Ways to Change the World’, Eugenie mentored the students on creative ways to make a difference and engage communities

Danielle Whittaker, from Hillcrest specialist Maths and Computing College and sixth form centre, Birmingham said, "It was amazing meeting Piers Morgan today and the other guest speakers. After today I'm even more excited about getting our project to create a garden and greenhouse up and running!"

Piers Morgan commented: “Today a lot of brands run CSR programmes to help the environment, but it is refreshing to see activity like the npower Climate Cops programme that fosters green talent from a young age and allows students to make their own decisions on what they can do to help. As a father inspired by my children’s green aspirations, I think it is important to nurture this passion as it will drive real change and safeguard the future.”

Konnie Huq said: “Having spent the majority of my career working with young people, I know that the environment is a real concern for them and they are passionate about making a difference. The npower Climate Cops programme, which follows the Government’s Sustainable Schools curriculum will help raise a new generation of eco-aware young adults that will go on to inspire others.”

Eugenie Harvey, Founder of We Are What We Do, commented: “Today’s young people are going to inherit some of the toughest challenges we have ever faced. Initiatives like the npower Climate Cops programme are such an important part of equipping the next generation with the skills and confidence to start making a difference to these problems and to continue doing so throughout their lives. We’re delighted to be involved.”

Endorsed by HRH, The Duke of York – Chairman of The Outward Bound Trust, the leading outdoor education charity - the next step in the Climate Cops programme will see students from the ten schools participate in the first ever green Outward Bound® course in the Lake District, offering them the chance to learn about sustainable living, climate change and leadership through challenging practical outdoor experiences.

To check out the top tips that the ambassadors shared with the students, please visit the Climate Cops website: www.npower.com/GreenSoS

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