18 August 2010
An engineer from Essex is to help people with illnesses and disabilities visit a famous pilgrimage site in France.
Lourdes developed into a major place of Roman Catholic pilgrimage and alleged miraculous healing following reports that visions of Our Lady of Lourdes, believed by many Christians to be the Virgin Mary, had appeared to a 14-year-old peasant girl there in 1858.
The girl, Bernadette Soubirous, was later made a saint and today Lourdes welcomes millions of pilgrims and tourists every year.
EDF Energy Networks field engineer John Smith, from Romford, has long supported the charity called Raphael Pilgrimage which takes sick pilgrims and those who care for them on an annual week-long visit to the holy site.
John has helped raise money throughout the year as a local chairman for the charity. He is due to help with the pilgrimage from September 6 to 10, as part of EDF Energy Networks’ Helping Hands scheme through which staff are given two days a year to volunteer for community or environmental projects.
John, who works in the Purfleet area, said: “It’s very different to my day job – usually I’m working on the electricity network to ensure that people’s lights stay on. Next month I will be pushing wheelchairs so being fit and having a bit of muscle power will come in useful!
“I will be helping to take a group of 20 people from the local area. The Raphael Pilgrimages began 58 years ago when Leonard Cheshire took a couple of people from his care and rehabilitation homes to Lourdes and I have been helping every year since 1992.
“I remember on my third or fourth trip, seeing a woman in a wheelchair shouting and screaming at the famous shrine because she was so angry at God and the world in general. The nuns on site told me it was part of the process of her coming to terms with the recent accident which had left her injured. So I think the experience of visiting such an important site does help people come to terms with their plight and see others in similar situations.”
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For further information contact Tracey Sparling in the EDF Energy press office on: 08701 962504
Notes to editors:
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, producing around one-fifth of the nation's electricity from its nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company provides power to a quarter of the UK’s population via its electricity distribution networks and supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customers. It is the number one supplier of electricity to major business in the UK.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear reactors, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants would generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Climate and Social Commitments EDF Energy has launched the biggest environmental and social programme of any UK energy company. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Read, Reduce, Reward and Team Green Britain.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. Following the integration with British Energy in 2009, the company employs nearly 20,000 people at locations across the UK.