18th August 2025 in Community News
The Building Our Futures programme, a STEM-focused primary careers-learning initiative funded by Dogger Bank Wind Farm, recently marked its third year of remarkable success at a celebratory event held at Redcar & Cleveland College. Since its inception, the programme has supported over ten thousand young people with future career guidance.
This pioneering programme is dedicated to embedding comprehensive careers education into every primary school across Redcar and Cleveland. It achieves this through engaging school workshops and the invaluable support of local employers. Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency (RCVDA) delivers the programme, with strategic guidance and support from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
The recent celebration brought together employers, partners, and schools, providing an opportunity for programme leaders to highlight the significant achievements over the past three years, building on a successful pilot programme in 2021-22.
Since its inception, the Building Our Futures team, in collaboration with local employers, has worked with the vast majority of schools in Redcar and Cleveland.
These young people have gained crucial skills and knowledge essential for the future workforce. In total, 64 individual companies, with over 100 dedicated colleagues, have devoted their time to support employer engagement initiatives.
The Building Our Futures initiative has seen remarkable success by building impactful links between local employers and schools, providing young people with realistic career aspirations and tangible pathways to employment. The programme focusses on connecting students with a diverse range of local employers, ensuring that the job opportunities presented are genuinely attainable within their communities.
The programme supports participating schools by delivering six comprehensive modules focused on career learning and essential skills development. Beyond curriculum, the initiative provides strategic and operational support, featuring regular termly Career Champion networks, dedicated staff training and mentoring for Career Champions, engaging STEM events, valuable workplace visits and more.
Amanda Olvanhill, Head of Employability at Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, said:
“We are very proud of the Building our Futures programme in Redcar and Cleveland, and it is so well embedded with our primary schools, it has been wonderful to see so many children benefitting from the programme each year and learning about the fantastic career opportunities on their doorstep.”
Jacqui Hutchinson, Education, Employment and Skills, Primary Careers Co-ordinator, Building our Futures, said:
“On behalf of Redcar & Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency, it is an honour to deliver the Building our Futures programme to primary and SEND schools in Redcar and Cleveland. Its success is testament to the commitment of our Business network to give back to their communities, our Education networks to finding the best opportunities for their students and to the determination and energy of the young people we are privileged to serve.
“The programme would not have been possible without the investment provided by Dogger Bank Wind Farm and the engagement of its supply chain in our Business network, the strategic support provided by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, and the commitment our schools have to enriching the educational experience of their pupils.
As we move into our fourth year of delivery, we are celebrating the achievements of more than ten thousand young people whose aspirations have been meaningfully changed by engaging with Building our Futures, we are working closely with partners to co-design a sustainable future for the programme moving forward.”
Kay Doragh, Community Investment Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“What really makes a difference to this programme is how local employers and businesses are at the heart of it. This is what makes the career learning so real to the children – and also shows how their ambitions can really happen, with opportunities that are in their area. It’s easy as a business to say that young people don’t engage, it’s not as easy to go and do something about it. This is why we are so impressed by and appreciative of all the employers that make this programme happen.”
Earlier this year, the Building our Futures Programme was recognised at the Northern Echo Business IQ awards, winning the Community Impact Award.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has been a key supporter of the program, providing not only funding and resources but also demonstrating a strong commitment to employer engagement with schools through its diverse supply chain partnerships.
The project is dedicated to establishing a long-term legacy in the communities where we work and build, promoting STEM education and career opportunities, and creating community growth by investing in people and organisations.
Last year, Dogger Bank Wind Farm announced the next phase of its community fund, committing £25 million to be used in the North and North East of England throughout the operational phase of the wind farm. This phase builds on the £1 million community fund set up during the construction phase of Dogger Bank.
Businesses interested in supporting the next generation can get involved with the Building Our Futures programme by visiting https://www.buildingourfutures.org.uk/contact-us/.
17th July 2025 in Community News, Press releases, Project news
- Education pack contains handmade replicas of historical artefacts unearthed during archaeological excavations during construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
- The local education pack includes replicas of a 6,000-year-old flint arrowhead, an Iron Age or Anglo-Saxon glass bead, an Iron Age to Roman bone comb and pottery that is thought to date back more than 2,000 years.
Schoolchildren across East Riding will be able to get their hands on replicas of key historical artefacts that were uncovered during the construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, following the launch of a new education pack.
The education pack contains handmade replicas of some of the key findings from 22 excavations, undertaken on the wind farm’s 30km cable route from Ulrome to its onshore convertor stations near Beverley. It includes 3D printed and hand-painted recreations of a 6,000-year-old flint arrowhead that was unearthed near the village of Beeford, an Iron Age or Anglo-Saxon glass bead excavated in Ulrome and an Iron Age to Roman bone comb discovered in Leven.
The Dogger Bank-funded education pack will be managed by the East Riding School Library Service.
Councillor Victoria Aitken, East Riding Council’s cabinet member for children, families and education said:
“The collaboration between education and business is leading a cultural change so children can be trailblazers in their careers.
“This new history pack was officially launched at Molescroft Primary School, where pupils had the opportunity to hear about the construction of the wind farm, and handle the replicas as part of their ongoing work on Anglo Saxons. I look forward to it being rolled out across more schools in the East Riding, and more pupils benefitting from this unique and fascinating education.”
Rachel Lawrence, Stakeholder Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“Unearthing the rich history of Holderness has been an unexpected and exciting part of our construction journey.
“Our experts from AOC Archaeology carried out 22 separate excavations along our cable corridor and invested 26,000 hours preserving fragments of local history.
“It’s our privilege to be able to share this information with schoolchildren, as we bring their local history to life in the classroom through our education pack.”
An online exhibition detailing historical finds from the construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm can be accessed by visiting www.doggerbank.com/archaeology. The online exhibition features an interactive map to explore 22 excavated sites alongside a wealth of information about AOC Archaeology’s wider work in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
10th July 2025 in Community News
Dogger Bank Wind Farm, set to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm, is recruiting a new apprentice to join its team. This new role underscores the wind farm’s commitment to creating a long-lasting positive impact within its local communities.
While Dogger Bank Wind Farm has already recruited apprentices in electrical engineering, wind operations, and logistics, this new position represents a broadening of opportunities. The successful candidate will play a key role in the team responsible for managing and allocating the wind farm’s substantial £25 million community investment fund. This fund supports various local initiatives, projects, and STEM educational programmes in the regions that host the wind farm’s operations, including South Tyneside, East Riding of Yorkshire, and Redcar and Cleveland.
The apprentice will also work closely with the Communications team, developing digital marketing skills, creating content and supporting events.
“We are incredibly proud of the positive relationships we’ve built with our local communities,” said Kay Doragh, Community Investment Manager at Dogger Bank Wind Farm. “Bringing in a Community Investment Apprentice will strengthen our ability to understand and respond to local needs, ensuring our investments create the greatest possible benefit. It’s an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about making a real difference to join our local team.”
The energy sector is bringing huge changes to the North East through the growth of renewables and building of major infrastructure. It’s really important to us that local people feel the benefit of these projects through a well-managed Community Fund and that they know what is going on through effective communications. We are looking for an Apprentice who is excited to make a difference in their community and wants to be a part of getting people involved in these opportunities. If you are interested in people, community and communication, then we want to hear from you.
The apprenticeship will offer hands-on experience in community engagement, grant management, project evaluation, communications, and stakeholder relations. It provides a unique pathway into the renewable energy sector, demonstrating that careers in this growing industry extend beyond traditional engineering roles to encompass vital social and economic development.
Details on how to apply for this exciting new role can be found here.
8th July 2025 in Uncategorised
Schoolchildren from West Yorkshire helped to improve marine ecosystems in the North Sea, by releasing juvenile lobsters during their school residential trip to Whitby.
After visiting the Marine Discovery Centre to learn about Whitby Lobster Hatchery’s work protecting lobster populations and supporting a healthy marine habitat, year 5 pupils from Brockholes C of E school in Huddersfield headed to the beach to release 700 tiny lobsters into the rock pools.
Hatchery experts were joined by representatives from Dogger Bank Wind Farm, who talked to the children about how they’re working collaboratively with other users of the North Sea, to help marine life to flourish.
Aiming to release 100,000 juvenile lobsters back into the sea, the team at Whitby Lobster Hatchery is committed to ensuring the seas are sustainable and rich in diversity for years to come.
Operating under the charity name of North Sea Conservation, the team has ambitions to provide the best opportunity for the coastline to remain healthy and productive. Working alongside its potting fleet which boasts the 3rd largest catches in Europe, the fishing community bring ‘berried’ egg bearing female lobsters into the hatchery.
When the eggs hatch the hatchery team then provides everything the tiny lobster larvae need to give them the best chance to survive. After around 8 weeks of care in the hatchery the juvenile lobsters are released back into the sea.
The Marine Discovery Centre (on Whitby’s Peir Road), aims to provide a unique visitor experience, showcasing native marine biodiversity and providing a great opportunity for young and old to learn about fisheries, marine wildlife and the work of the Whitby Lobster Hatchery.
Whitby Lobster Hatchery General Manager, Joe Redfern, said:
“It was a fantastic day, we really enjoyed giving these young people the chance to release juvenile lobsters. They really seemed to enjoy it and hopefully they made some lasting memories.”
“We are extremely grateful for the generous support we receive from Dogger Bank Farm, we really wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them.”
Pupils from Brockholes C of E school, said:
“ We had an amazing experience releasing our new friends into the sea.
“It was great to know that we have helped support a species for years to come!”
The wind farm has supported the lobster hatchery since its initial launch, and has continued its support for the charity with contributions to both the hatchery and the marine discovery centre.
Rachel Lawrence, Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“It was a great privilege for us to be part of this release of juvenile lobsters, and wonderful for the children to be able to enhance the marine environment during their school residential.
“Working in harmony with nature and coastal communities is vital to the success of our world-leading renewable energy project, which is set to power 6 million UK homes by 2027.
“Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a proud supporter of Whitby Lobster Hatchery, and its vital conservation, education and research activities on the Yorkshire coast.”
Find out more about how Dogger Bank Wind Farm is supporting Whitby Lobster Hatchery here.
23rd June 2025 in Press releases, Project news
- Statutory consultation phase launched on 10 June to give communities and other stakeholders a chance to have their say on project proposal for Dogger Bank D.
- In-person events to take place at key locations in East Riding of Yorkshire between 24 and 28 June.
Members of the public are being invited to have their say on plans for a new offshore wind farm project at six in-person events this week.
Dogger Bank D is a proposed project in the North Sea which would be located around 210km off the coast of England. Joint venture developers SSE Renewables and Equinor are inviting community members and stakeholders to have their say on proposals for the project, as part of a Statutory Consultation between 10 June and 5 August.
Six in-person events will be held at the following times and locations:
Skipsea Village Hall, 3pm – 6.30pm.
Leven Sports Hall, 2pm – 7pm.
Cottingham Civic Hall, 10am – 2pm, and Walkington Village Hall 3pm – 6pm.
Toll Gavel Church Hall, Beverley, 10am – 2pm.
Beverley Memorial Hall, 10am – 2pm.
Sophie Large, Senior Project Manager for Dogger Bank D, said:
“We would encourage anyone who’s interested in our proposals to come along to one of our events to speak with a member of our friendly team. At the events you can expect to talk to a team that includes all of the specialisms involved in Dogger Bank D development which ensures that in-depth conversations can take place.
“At this stage of consultation, the proposals presented are not our final application. They reflect input from earlier consultation rounds as well as our preliminary environmental and technical assessments. We encourage the community to come forward to review and share their feedback as local knowledge is invaluable in helping us refine our plans further.
“We’re also excited to share more information on our ideas for building a positive legacy for the project. We’re committed to ensuring that local communities are heard and respected as we develop our proposals to build the energy generation assets that are critical to securing energy security and affordability in a net zero world.”
This latest round of consultation by the developers of Dogger Bank D will outline offshore and onshore proposals, as well as outcomes of preliminary environmental assessments.
The proposals include plans for offshore infrastructure for renewable electricity generation as well as offshore and onshore infrastructure for transmission of the electricity generated by the wind farm.
Out at sea, the project proposes an offshore wind farm array covering a site of 262km2 with up to 113 installed offshore wind turbines. Each turbine would be installed on a fixed bottom foundation.
The offshore application also proposes up to two offshore platforms, as well as associated export and inter-array subsea cabling that would export power from the offshore wind farm to Britain’s national grid at a landfall point near Skipsea, in East Riding of Yorkshire.
From the Skipsea landfall, underground cables would transmit renewable power along a 55-kilometre route to an onshore converter station near to a new onshore substation being developed by National Grid Electricity Transmission near Cottingham, north of Hull, called Birkhill Wood.
The project is also proposing potential plans to co-locate Energy Storage and Balancing Infrastructure at the site of the proposed onshore converter station.
The proposals follow extensive environmental studies and feedback received from earlier stages of engagement.
Feedback from the consultation, which comprises six local in-person events and two online sessions, will be gathered over an eight-week period ahead of the consultation closing on Tuesday 5 August.
Developers SSE Renewables and Equinor will use this feedback to help inform a final application for a Development Consent Order for up to 1.5GW of installed offshore wind capacity at Dogger Bank D.
The delivery of the Dogger Bank D project is subject to it securing a Development Consent Order as well as a final investment decision by partners SSE Renewables and Equinor.
The project team encourages all feedback during the eight-week consultation phase. Feedback will be accepted until 11.59pm on Tuesday 5 August.
All consultation materials including the consultation brochure, maps and feedback forms are now available to view and download at www.doggerbankd.com. Hard copies and alternative versions of consultation documents can also be requested directly from the project team by email or freephone. Alternatively, consultation materials can be viewed or collected from community access points, please check opening hours before visiting. For more information on Dogger Bank D, or how to engage with the consultation, please visit www.doggerbankd.com, call the freephone number on 0800 254 5029, or email contact@doggerbankd.com.
