St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School in Woodley, Reading, has been awarded a £5k grant after winning a national energy and sustainability competition organised by British Gas through its sponsorship with Team GB and ParalympicsGB.
It comes as the primary school has got involved with Get Set for Positive Energy, a free cross-curricular programme funded by British Gas that aims to educate young people aged from five to 11 on the importance of saving energy to drive change, get active and build healthy everyday habits.
As part of the initiative, children across the country were tasked with creating a banner to inspire their community to make small, energy-saving changes every day, from turning off the lights when they leave a room to cycling, walking, or jogging rather than using the car.
James (aged 11), a pupil at St Dominic Savio, was crowned the winner of the Everyday Energy Competition, with his work recognised through the British Gas Positive Energy Grant which was awarded to the school by Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes, Amber Rutter and Blaine Hunt, last week.
The grant will support St Dominic Savio with their sustainability initiatives and help them to implement new eco-friendly practices, including installing smart lighting and setting up a vegetable garden.
Students at St Dominic Savio were treated to an assembly with Amber Rutter and Blaine Hunt, before being awarded their £5k cheque and a professionally printed version of James’ winning banner to be displayed within the school. A British Gas expert also visited the school to evaluate their approach to sustainability, praising the work they’re currently doing and offering advice on how to go the step further. Alongside this, the ParalympicsGB team completed an accessibility audit to ensure the school is welcoming and inclusive for all.
Laura Hulland, headteacher at St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School, said: “The Everyday Energy Competition has truly inspired our children to think about how we can live more sustainably. These values have been central to us as a Catholic school during this Jubilee year, as we strive to protect our world for future generations.
“We couldn’t be prouder of James for his fantastic achievement, and we’re equally proud of all our pupils for their enthusiastic participation. We’d like to thank British Gas, Team GB and ParalympicsGB for making it such an enjoyable and enriching experience. A special thank you also goes to Blaine Hunt and Amber Rutter, whom the children had the pleasure of meeting!”
Hannah Lawrance, Strategic Brand Partnerships Lead at British Gas, said: “We were really impressed by the entries to our Everyday Energy Competition, and this is testament to the enthusiasm and creativity of schools up and down the country. James’ banner really stood out to us thanks to its strong message encouraging everyone to take care of our environment, our communities, and our future.
“Working towards net zero is a central focus for our business, and this programme of activity aims to engage and educate children on building a more sustainable future. We’re using our partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB to inspire schools to get more active and consider different ways to create a positive impact.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how the children at St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School continue to champion sustainability in their school, both using the prize grant and the educational resources from our Get Set programme. We’re sure they’ll achieve great things!”
Entries to the Everyday Energy Competition were judged by a panel of Team GB, ParalympicsGB, and British Gas members, with the schools of 25 runners up also awarded a copy of James’ winning banner and a £500 grant for their eco-council. Roe Green Infant School in London and Hathern CofE Primary School in Loughborough were given highly commended mentions for their entries. Through Get Set for Positive Energy, British Gas aims to reach up to 8,500 schools and 1.5 million young people and families across the UK by 2028, taking inspiration from the Olympic and Paralympic values to motivate young people to be active in creating a greener future for themselves and their community.
The partnership between Team GB, ParalympicsGB and British Gas launched in 2023. The five-year collaboration will last up until the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.
For more information on the Get Set for Positive Energy programme, visit: Get Set | Get Set for Positive Energy
