Primary school children from Ysgol Bodhyfryd had a chance to meet stars from Wrexham AFC’s women’s team while being given an all-important electrical safety session delivered in collaboration with official community partner SP Energy Networks.
The leading network provider is working closely with the club’s Community Trust team to kick-off its PowerWise education programme with schools across North Wales. Pupils at Ysgol Bodhyfryd were the first to plug into the programme as they hosted a taster session this week.
From sparking curiosity to preventing electrical hazards, the four-week programme covers a variety of topics which reinforces SP Energy Networks’ PowerWise top tips and incorporates fun activities and tools which can show children how the flow of the electricity works, all to help young people learn how to stay safe.
PowerWise is an initiative from SP Energy Networks that encourages pupils to learn about the dangers of electricity and staying safe around it through a free online educational resource which is available to teachers, parents and children.
The session at Ysgol Bodhyfryd was joined by Wrexham AFC stars Erin Lovett and Libby Mackenzie, who participated in the PowerWise classroom session before they put the youngsters through their paces on the football pitch. The children also had a flying visit from Sparky the Bird, the SP Energy Networks mascot, who popped in to help further encourage the children that learning about electrical safety can be fun.
The first taster session offered a flavour of what schools across the area can expect if they register their interest in the programme. These sessions will be rolled out to schools across North Wales from this month, with the intention of benefitting an estimated 750 participants across 25 schools during the 2023/24 Season.
Liam O’Sullivan, SP Manweb Licence Director at SP Energy Networks, said: “As a business, we're flipping the switch on safety education and we’re extremely passionate about educating our communities to help them stay safe around electricity.
“Our partnership with Wrexham AFC Community Trust and the PowerWise school education programme represent a fine example of this and how we can use the power of sport to engage the next generation to ensure they practice good safety habits.
“It was brilliant to witness the first taster session in-person and I’d urge schools across North Wales to get in touch and find out how they can provide sessions to their pupils.”
In addition to the classroom sessions on offer, the PowerWise programme can also be accessed online as a teaching resource.
https://www.powerwise.org.uk/
SP Energy Networks is the Official Headline Community Partner of Wrexham AFC’s Boys and Girls Centre of Excellence and Powerchair Football team. The partnership will see SP Energy Networks working closely with the Wrexham AFC Community Trust to support projects throughout the local area and underlines SP Energy Networks’ commitment to supporting the communities it serves.
Fleur Robinson, Wrexham AFC CEO, said: “We’re proud to be supporting our community partner on this important initiative with our Wrexham AFC Women players, Erin and Libby, helping to ensure the Wrexham AFC Community Trust can deliver an important safety message in a fun and engaging way.
“The PowerWise Programme was a key part of our early discussions with SP Energy Networks, and it’s great to now see the sessions in action in our local schools.”
Pupil at Ysgol Bodhyfryd said, “I had so much fun meeting Sparky the bird and doing challenges to learn about electrical safety. I also loved meeting and playing football at the end of the session with the Wrexham players, it was great! I’ll definitely be more careful and aware of electricity safety when I’m playing outside with my friends this summer”.
The network provider owns the Electricity Distribution Network, which transports electricity to homes and businesses across the region and keeps the power flowing for 3.5 million customers throughout North Wales, North Shropshire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Central and Southern Scotland.
To register interest in signing up to SP Energy Networks PowerWise educational programme in partnership with Wrexham AFC Community Trust for primary schools in North Wales, please email: powerwise@spenergynetworks.co.uk.
