29th June 2023 in Community News, Press releases
An interactive STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) workshop was held at Bankfields Primary School as part of Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s ongoing commitment to coastal communities during its construction phase.
The Building Our Future primary careers workshop was led by the wind farm’s supply chain partner, Hitachi Energy and the Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency (RCVDA).
The Eston-based school is situated less than 4 miles from the convertor station construction site at Lazenby for the third phase of the wind farm, known as Dogger Bank C.
The project unveiled plans for its £1 million investment in communities in June 2021 and the Dogger Bank team has worked with local education providers in East Riding of Yorkshire, Redcar & Cleveland and South Tyneside to create a bespoke legacy for the wind farm that tackles the specific educational needs of each community and directly addresses the requirements of young people in the region.
The Building Our Future programme aims to embed careers education into every primary school in Redcar and Cleveland through engaging workshops supported by local employers. The programme is being delivered by Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency with strategic support and guidance from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
562 children from 20 schools have taken part in Building Our Futures workshops since its launch last year.
In addition to enhancing STEM provision in the classroom, several local students from Redcar and Cleveland will receive a scholarship to help with the cost of further education qualifications while studying STEM subjects. Last year, an additional twenty-five students from coastal communities in the north and north-east of England were supported with the cost of further education, thanks to the scholarship programme of £5,000 each from Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
The Scholarship Fund provides grants to local students undertaking STEM courses in further education. The recently awarded grants were part of the second round of the fund, with 50 scholarships awarded to date and a total of 62 scholarships available during the construction of the wind farm. The initiative focuses on the areas of East Riding of Yorkshire and Redcar and Cleveland, where the windfarm will connect to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside, where the Operation and Maintenance Base is located.
The application process for the Dogger Bank Scholarship programme has now re-opened to applicants until 1 September 2023. To apply, please click here.
During the session at Bankfields Primary School, students had the opportunity to work closely with local employers and get a unique understanding of the world of work, by introducing them to a wide range of alternative occupations. During the workshop, under the guidance of industry experts from Hitachi Energy, Bankfields Year 5 classes were provided with makeshift materials and tools to assemble wind turbines and explore how wind power can be harnessed to generate electricity.
The children also learned about the various energy sources and the fundamental principles behind wind energy, gaining insights into the mechanics of turbines and exploring the importance of sustainable practices.
Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency Primary Careers Co-ordinator, Jacqui Hutchinson said:
“Just a year into this programme we are already seeing the difference it’s making to children aged 5 to 11. Young people are demonstrating more interest and enthusiasm for STEM careers, and they’re using this knowledge to make sense of the world around them.”
Hitachi Energy Site Administrator, Leanne Smith said:
“It’s important for the supply chain to support the programme, to provide knowledge about the renewable energy sector and how this type of work now, will benefit the youngsters in the future. Hopefully the children will have a better understanding between renewable and non-renewable resources and encourage them to choose a greener option.”
STEM, careers and enterprise lead at Bankfields Primary, Megan Kelly said:
“Our children were given the opportunity to learn about some of the many careers in renewable energy. The afternoon was informative, fun and inspirational and the children absolutely loved it. Thank you so much for opening their minds to new possibilities.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Community Engagement Officer, Alexandria Hanson said:
“We’re grateful to all the local employers who’ve got behind this Dogger Bank Wind Farm-funded programme in its first year.
“We’ve had a great response from our supply chain partners, who recognise the importance of giving back to local communities and inspiring the next generation of STEM experts.
“As we celebrate Wind Energy Week this week, we reflect on the difference we’re able to make to young people by funding a programme that puts innovation and skills at the heart of their educational experiences.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be located more than 130 km off the northeast coast and will generate enough renewable energy to power six million UK homes. A joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). SSE Renewables is leading on the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, and Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years.
The wind farm is being built in three consecutive 1.2 GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C – connecting to the National Grid in both East Riding of Yorkshire and on Teesside. The third phase of the wind farm, Dogger Bank C, will reach landfall at Marske-by-the-sea. The underground onshore cables will be routed to an onshore convertor station near Lazenby, where preparation work is already underway. Once the current is converted, the renewable energy will make its way to an existing National Grid substation at Lackenby.
The wind farm also has an Operators Fund to support local charities and community groups, with grants up to £1000. This fund will help support projects which enhance the quality of life for residents, contribute to sustainable communities or help promote community spirit. Further information is available at here.
About Redcar and Cleveland Council:
Redcar and Cleveland Council is a local government organisation providing a range of services to East Riding residents including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The councils’ education and schools, improvement and learning service which is the key service involved in this submission.
In the Redcar and Cleveland Council and beyond in South Tyneside and East Riding of Yorkshire, the Dogger Bank Wind Farm education partnerships are inspiring children and young people for a working life in a net-zero world. Within the East Riding during the construction of the wind farm, a unique partnership of local education networks and Dogger Bank Wind Farm aims to increase and expand the knowledge of children in STEM and the jobs of the future.
About the delivery partners:
Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency
Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency is a charity focused on social action, offering practical support and advocacy for registered charities, social enterprises and the hundreds of grass roots groups that make up the vibrant and growing voluntary sector in Redcar and Cleveland.
28th June 2023 in Community News, Press releases
As part of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm and South Tyneside Council’s Little Inventors programme, a young inventor is to see his planet-saving idea spring to life, with the support of two South Tyneside pioneers.
Nine-year-old Isaac, from Cleadon, visited Ford Aerospace at Port of Tyne this week to present his Wind Mirrors to a panel of high-profile business leaders.
Isaac created a planet-saving invention as part of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm and South Tyneside Council’s Little Inventors Programme. This is among 8 inventions that local businesses will bring to life over the upcoming months.
Working in partnership with schools across the borough, the Little Inventors Programme launched in February as a challenge to year 4 and 5 students to create inventions powered by movement and wind that could help reverse climate change.
Isaac’s idea, ‘Wind Mirrors’, would see propellors manufactured that could be attached underneath vehicle wing mirrors to generate renewable electricity that can be used to power vehicular accessories.
As Isaac explained in his presentation:
“The propellers will spin in the wind as the car moves which will then provide electricity, which will power the radio and sat nav.
“This is also a safety feature because it can power the rear and front headlights. Also, the propellers are underneath the mirrors, so it doesn’t obstruct the driver’s view.”
Cell Pack Solutions and Ford Aerospace were two of the many local businesses and bright minds to back the campaign, with both companies agreeing to collaborate to help bring one of the winning ideas to life.
Both organisations were inspired to get involved having signed the South Tyneside Pledge, a commitment by over two hundred local organisations to boost local economic activity, reduce health inequalities, lower carbon emissions, and enhance civic pride. Equinor, future operator of Dogger Bank Wind Farm is also a signatory of the pledge.
After finding out about Isaac’s idea and being ‘blown away’ by his ‘thorough and diverse’ invention, they agreed to work together to develop a working prototype, with Isaac leading as the project manager.
Speaking after the presentation, Isaac said:
“I spend a lot of time drawing cars and building this with LEGO, so I was really happy when I found out I had won.
“The idea was to use a propellor that can generate wind from the momentum of the car and use it to power things such as the sat nav. We have also spoken about using a battery to store the electricity but that would be further down the line.
“It’s been totally mad seeing the design come to life and seeing how the two companies have worked together on it and I can’t wait to see the final version once they have made the improvements we discussed today. It’s all been really worthwhile.”
The Dogger Bank Community Fund and South Tyneside Council launched the Little Inventors Programme to support and increase understanding of skills in science, technology, engineering and maths for young people and their parents and to raise awareness of the economic and environmental opportunities presented by renewable energy.
Each of the winning ideas will be on show at a public exhibition at The Word, South Shields from July 16th 2023 until the end of November 2023. Visitors to The Word will also be able to submit their own ideas, with one further idea being brought to life and exhibited from September 2023.
Tom Nightingale, North East Stakeholder Manager for Equinor, said:
“It is fantastic to see the local community helping to develop new inventions linked to renewable energy as we look to tackle climate change. Isaac is one of many little inventors with great ideas that are building on our work at Dogger Bank Wind Farm to start a green revolution from here in South Tyneside. We are looking forward to seeing the inventions brought to life and it is even better that the campaign is being backed by local businesses.”
Cllr Margaret Meling, Lead Member for Economic Growth and Transport, said:
“Isaac must be incredibly proud that his idea is to be turned into a real product with the help of local businesses.
“This programme is an excellent way of inspiring children and igniting their passion for STEM not just in the classroom, but to find innovative solutions to real-life problems.
“As Isaac has illustrated, we have some brilliant young minds in the borough!”
For more information, visit: https://southtyneside.littleinventors.org/
27th June 2023 in Community News, Press releases, Uncategorised
A fine art student from Northumberland will have her art displayed at our operation and maintenance base in Port of Tyne after winning the Dogger Bank Wind Farm purchase prize.
Britney Fraser, from Widdrington, in Northumberland, draws upon her family’s mining heritage and working class culture in her work. ‘Alreet’ and ‘Howay’ are part of her final year degree show and part of a series of pieces featuring regional words, also including ‘canny’ and ‘divvnt’ in her family’s handwriting on traditional ‘proggy’ mats made from recycled textiles. Her art highlights untold, overlooked, and undervalued stories from Northumberland’s working communities by transforming materials associated with manual labour into sculptural elevations of trade workers.
“My art is all about work,” says Britney.
“So I’m really happy that something so grounded in the North East and in its working-class communities will go on show at Dogger Bank Wind farm’s offices where people will see it every day.”
Felicity Wann, Operations Leader at Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“We are delighted to present the Dogger Bank Purchase Prize Award to Britney for her inspiring artwork, which honours the North-East of England. We are excited to display Britney’s ‘Howay’ and ‘Alreet’ artworks in the entrance to our Operations and Maintenance base located at The Port of Tyne, giving employees and visitors the chance to view the pieces every time they enter the base. At Dogger Bank Wind Farm, it is our strategy to invest into the local community, so it is fantastic for the winning art pieces to have come from a student from Northumberland in the North-East of England.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is working with Newcastle art gallery Gallagher and Turner on the purchase prize for the next four years, with a yearly purchase prize for art students at Newcastle and Sunderland Universities. Selected works will be displayed at the Wind Farm’s Operations and Maintenance base.
You can see Britney’s artworks at the Fine Art Degree Show which reopens in Space Liverpool from 28 June to 1 July.
21st June 2023 in Community News, Press releases
- The scholarship fund supports students undertaking courses focussed on science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) courses.
- The programme will be open to students in South Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland and East Riding of Yorkshire.
- 62 scholarships will be available during the construction of the wind farm to support the cost of further education, as part of a wider £1 million community investment.
June 2023: Dogger Bank Wind Farm is continuing its support to coastal communities in the north and north-east of England by opening the third year of its successful scholarship programme.
Last year, an additional twenty-five students from coastal communities in the north and north-east of England were supported with the cost of further education, thanks to the scholarship programme of £5,000 each from Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
The initiative focuses on the areas of East Riding of Yorkshire, and Redcar and Cleveland, where the wind farm connects to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside, where the Operation and Maintenance Base is located.
The wind farm has already awarded 50 scholarships to date to local students undertaking science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) courses in further education to help young people prepare for working life in a net zero world and support students with tuition fees at a key stage in their educations.
Previous scholarship awards have already helped students from across the local area to take first steps to their future careers. Successful scholars have been studying subjects as varied as engineering, medicine, maths, cyber security and even zoology. The students highlight that the scholarship has helped reduce the financial pressure of education and enables them to focus on their studies.
The third round of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm scholarship fund is open for applications until 1 September 2023 and further details on how to apply can be found here.
Lindsay Dougan, Community Investment Manager from Dogger Bank Wind Farm said:
“We recognise that students have many challenges to complete education, and we want to help them ease this pressure. Our scholarship fund is helping local students prepare for the highly skilled jobs that will be available in a net zero world. We look forward to offering the scholarship programme for a third year to support even more talented local students.”
Saffron Sollitt is studying a BSc in Physical Geography at the University of Hull. She said:
“This scholarship has taken a lot of weight off my shoulders! It is making me less anxious to take my next step in education, to achieve a master’s degree in volcanology.”
Ethan Ofosu is from South Shields and is studying Forensic and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Strathclyd. The former Bedford School student, said:
”Having gained this scholarship shows that there are local businesses that are willing to support young people like me in the community.”
Mechanical Engineering student, Paul Thomas, from Redcar, said:
“The scholarship has enabled me to fully concentrate on my HNC in Mechanical Engineering, during this challenging economic climate.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be located more than 130 km off the northeast coast and will generate enough renewable energy to power six million UK homes. A joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). SSE Renewables is leading on the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, and Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years.
The wind farm is being built in three consecutive 1.2 GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C – connecting to the National Grid in both East Riding of Yorkshire and on Teesside. The third phase of the wind farm, Dogger Bank C, will reach landfall at Marske-by-the-sea. The underground onshore cables will be routed to an onshore convertor station near Lazenby, where preparation work is already underway. Once the current is converted, the renewable energy will make its way to an existing National Grid substation at Lackenby.
In June 2021, Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveiled plans for a £1 million construction fund to support coastal communities where its onshore infrastructure is being developed. The programme includes a significant investment in science, technology, engineering, and maths, as well as an operators fund to support local causes. Further information is available at www.doggerbank.com/about/community/
Picture caption: Saffron Sollitt, studying a BSc in Physical Geography at the University of Hull.
5th May 2023 in Community News, Press releases
Last night East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Dogger Bank Wind Farm took home the award in the Renewable Education Category at the Humber Renewables Awards for their ambitious and innovative East Riding Dogger Bank Primary Programme.
The programme is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, enabled by the construction of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, to invest in a unique partnership of local education networks, national teacher’s continued professional development providers and industry, to create a lasting legacy of excellence in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education and careers from ages three to eleven.
The project offers a tailored range of opportunities for all 124 primary schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire and aims to connect learning in schools to the jobs and opportunities of the future. The partnership was formed to counteract the subtle, but powerful messages around job and career aspirations which children form at a very young age. The programme is delivered in partnership with specialist providers, Complete Careers, Stem Learning and PSQM (Primary Science Quality Mark), who underpin and support professional development for teachers.
The Dogger Bank Primary Programme has been received with great enthusiasm by schools, teachers and pupils and the partnership is proud to have been shortlisted. Over a three-year period, all 124 primary schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire can benefit from the programme in a way that supports their school individually. There are three strands in the programme: increasing the skills knowledge and expertise of teachers engaged in STEM in early years; to recognise quality in the science offer across all ages; and embedding of careers education in the primary curriculum. Schools can draw upon national providers, meet specialist teachers in the field and work with industry partners. All three strands benefit not just the teachers and pupils, but also families and the local community.
Community investment Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Lindsay Dougan, said:
“I’m really proud to be celebrating with our partners who brought our programme to life. This programme is ground-breaking and it has taken trust, dedication and passion to bring this unique approach to fruition. Our programme has been carefully designed to foster and nurture schools to achieve a “learn it, see it, be it” ethos around STEM and career aspirations.
“By allowing each school to tailor their own programme, more children will be able to see themselves in STEM careers and ultimately become the talent needed to take the UK to Net Zero.”
Sara Fletcher education and skills partnership manager East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“The scale and ambition of the East Riding Dogger Bank Primary Programme will support and impact the entire region, embedding career discussions and activities in primaries to help young people understand the breadth of opportunities available. We know from our experience engaging with local schools how keen young people are to challenge themselves to live sustainable lives. That’s why we want this programme to lead towards a cultural change so our young people can be trailblazers in STEM and their careers.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm, is being built off the East Coast in three 1.2GW phases : Dogger Bank A, B and C. It is a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). SSE Renewables is leading on the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, and Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is investing £1m in its key communities during the construction of this wind farm and working with education providers to help young people to unlock their future potential through enhanced science, technology, engineering and maths provision. The Dogger Bank team has worked with local education providers in East Riding of Yorkshire, Redcar & Cleveland and South Tyneside to create a bespoke legacy for the wind farm that addresses the specific educational needs of each community.
The wind farm is currently under construction more than 130km off the coast in the North Sea, and is expected to start generating power in the summer.
The Humber Renewable Awards celebrate the region’s commitment to green energy, honouring organisations large and small at the forefront of the UK’s zero-carbon emissions.
About East Riding of Yorkshire Council
East Riding of Yorkshire Council is a local government organisation providing a range of services to East Riding residents including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The councils’ education and schools, improvement and learning service which is the key service involved in this submission.
In the East Riding and beyond in South Tyneside and Redcar and Cleveland, the Dogger Bank Wind Farm education partnerships are inspiring children and young people for a working life in a net-zero world. Within the East Riding during the construction of the wind farm, a unique partnership of local education networks, national CPD providers and The Dogger Bank Wind Farm aims to increase and expand the knowledge of children in STEM and the jobs of the future.
About the delivery partners
Complete Careers is a Licensed Awarding Body for the National Quality in Careers Standard, using the Career Mark method; assessing excellence in careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) provision, following the changes in relation to the Quality in Careers Standard in March 2017.
The Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) is a school improvement programme that transforms primary schools and communities – growing confident leaders and teachers of science, building children’s attainment and aspiration in science, and shaping the culture of a primary school into a place where every child, teacher and family believes that ‘science is for them’. PSQM is based at the University of Hertfordshire and the programme is delivered to over 600 UK and international schools each year. www.psqm.org.uk
STEM Learning is a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising young people’s engagement and achievement in STEM. It is the largest UK provider of STEM education and careers support to schools, colleges and community groups working with young people. Visit www.stem.org.uk @STEMLearningUK
