- Challenge set to raise over £20,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support
Plucky National Grid employees are scaling the heights of fundraising success in a bid to generate thousands of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Ten intrepid, office-based staff will be swapping their day jobs in Solihull, Warwick and London for an adrenaline-fuelled climb to the top of a 150-foot National Grid training pylon that is taller than Nelson’s column.
The white-knuckle fundraiser will take place at the company’s training academy in Eakring, Nottinghamshire, on Thursday (4 June). The team, led by Corporate Strategy and Business Development Director Stephanie Hazell, hope to raise over £10,000 which will be matched by National Grid, making a total of more than £20,000.
Climbing electricity pylons is a routine part of the job for National Grid’s force of overhead line engineers but Stephanie’s team are more used to having their feet firmly on the ground.
“We are all feeling apprehensive but excited too,” she explained. “By doing something a little out of the ordinary – and very challenging – we are aiming to support Macmillan’s excellent work in caring for people with cancer.
“Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way. I was diagnosed with a tumour in my leg while at university. My prognosis was excellent and I am left with just a large scar but many others face far more serious challenges.”
Macmillan was voted by National Grid employees as the company’s chosen charity. In a two-year fundraising partnership, staff are aiming to raise half a million pounds to fund heating grants for people with cancer.
Full safety precautions will be taken for the climb. The ten-strong team will don protective equipment before being harnessed to the training pylon, which is connected to non-live wires, and is used to train linesmen. They will be accompanied by qualified National Grid engineers throughout the event.
Members of the public should never attempt to climb pylons. It is extremely dangerous as they risk death or serious injury from high voltage electricity or falls.
Notes to editors - archive
National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world and was named Responsible Business of the Year 2014 by Business in the Community. This accolade acknowledges all of our efforts in getting involve with the things that really matter to us and to society. We own and manage the grids that connect people to the energy they need, from whatever the source. In Britain and the north-eastern states of the US we run systems that deliver gas and electricity to millions of people, businesses and communities.
In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country. In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.
National Grid in the UK:
- We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain
- We own and operate the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
- Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 10.9 million homes and businesses
- We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering
- National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).
- Our portfolio of other businesses is mainly concerned with infrastructure provision and related services where we can exploit our core skills and assets to create value. These businesses operate in areas such as Metering, Grain LNG Import, Interconnectors and Property. National Grid Carbon Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid. It undertakes Carbon Capture Storage related activities on behalf of National Grid.
Find out more about the energy challenge and how National Grid is helping find solutions to some of the challenges we face at www.nationalgridconnecting.com
National Grid undertakes no obligation to update any of the information contained in this release, which speaks only as at the date of this release, unless required by law or regulation.