Members of Grundisburgh Netball Club including EDF Energy Networks employee Sue Townend (far left), have funds for a season thanks to the energy firm.
07 July 2010
Grundisburgh Netball Club will be training in fine style, thanks to a welcome grant from EDF Energy Networks to help kit out its players.
The Suffolk club is to buy new bibs, kit bags and court fees with £250 donated under EDF Energy Networks’ Team Sports Award scheme.
It’s all thanks to the energy company’s employee Sue Townend, who applied for the grant as she has been a player with the club for three years and currently holds the position of Goal Keeper.
Sue, 29, who works at EDF Energy’s offices in Fore Hamlet, Ipswich, said: “We’ve had a very successful time, going up a division every year for the past three years, and we are due to go up to Division Three when the new season starts in September. We will be training hard this summer in preparation for that.
Grundisburgh Netball Club is training hard for the new season, with help from EDF Energy Networks.
“In order to run the club we have to cover expenses such as court fees, so we carry out fundraising and pay subscriptions but it can be hard to generate enough money. This £250 for new equipment will really help.”
Grundisburgh Netball Club captain Jane Walford, who has been playing for the team for about eight years, agreed: “Umpiring fees alone are now costing us £12 to £15 a week. It is generally very difficult to get funding for an all-female sport so I am delighted that EDF Energy Networks is able to support and encourage participation in netball. This grant means we have sufficient funding for the whole of the 2010/11 season, which starts in September.”
The team plays in the South Suffolk Netball League which is based in Ipswich. The league has about 80 teams playing from the surrounding areas including Felixstowe, Woodbridge Needham Market and Stowmarket.
Through the Team Sport Award scheme, dozens of community and sports groups have benefited from financial assistance. Last year more than £13,000 was donated to sporting groups connected to company’s staff.
As the first sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games EDF Energy will help ensure London 2012 will be a truly sustainable games, uniting people to address climate changes and leaving a lasting legacy, not just in sport, but through environmental benefits.
ENDS
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.