BGC Group - Installer Live 2011 Awards Green Wizard
GREEN WIZARD PRIMARY SCHOOL PROJECT NAMED THE UK’S GREEN INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
BGC Group scooped the accolade for its Green Wizard project at the GREEN WIZARD PRIMARY SCHOOL PROJECT NAMED THE UK’S GREEN INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR. BGC Group scooped the accolade for its Green Wizard project at the Installer Live awards in Birmingham against stiff competition from some of the biggest names in the energy industry.
Judges said: "This is a fantastic initiative. Targeting young children with energy conservation messages is a great idea, and the execution in this example is very good indeed."
BGC launched its illustrated storybook and MP3 audio file of the story of The Green Wizard and the Precious Energy Source earlier this year. In it, green wizard Bertram Geoffery Chillipepper, known as BGC to his friends, appears from his magical castle to help families struggling with big energy bills and inefficient boilers. The wizard also does battle with his arch enemy, Carlos Hemlock, the wicked, warty warlock who wastes everybody’s time and energy, loves burning oil and coal, and thinks solar power is a joke.
The book teaches pupils the environmental and economic benefits of renewable energy through the funny story of the wizard’s magical travels. It was written and illustrated by Burslem-based contract publisher Smith Davis Pressand rolled out in partnership with BGC.
The Green Wizard initiative, which is part of BGC’s commitment to putting something back into the communities it serves, is being rolled out in schools across Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and Cheshire in partnership with specialist training provider PM Training. During fun sessions staged in the classroom, free copies of the book and audio file are given to pupils, there are life size displays of the Green Wizard and Carlos Hemlock and a professional storyteller performs the story.
BGC Group Managing Director Mark Sims said the Green Wizard was created to introduce primary school pupils to renewable energy technology in a fun way they can understand. He said theatre in education experts had been involved in the production of the book, which had also been 'road-tested' in schools before it was launched.
Mark said: "We wanted to do something innovative to capture children’s imagination and support renewable energy’s inclusion in the primary school curriculum. “The children learning about the Green Wizard are the first generation growing up in a world where solar power and ground source and air source heat pumps are viable and bring real environmental and economic benefits to communities."
"The Green Wizard project targets the younger age group and is another important part of our efforts to promote renewable energy, stimulate debate and encourage learning."
"The children love Bertram Geoffery Chillipepper’s magical world and the story has lots of fun and laughs, especially when BGC meets up with the evil warlock Carlos Hemlock."
"Children can enjoy the story but then use the issues it raises to learn more about renewable energy as part of the science curriculum."
Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley, who chairs the influential Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee, said: “We will only meet the environmental challenges we face if businesses, government and the community come together to understand what needs doing and how they can each make a contribution.
"At the heart of this agenda is the need for the next generation to know all about the actions that are possible to reduce emissions and protect the environment."
"This outstanding achievement and leadership by two companies in my constituency shows what local companies, local authorities and schools coming together can do to raise awareness."
"It is actions like this in each and every community that will show the United Nations leaders at next year’s global conference in Rio just how much more we can achieve by working together. I intend that the UK’s representatives at the conference will be taking the Green Wizard to Rio."
