31 December 2007 11:40
Ironbridge Power Station shines a spotlight on safety to help local charities

Two Shropshire hospices are each over £1,000 better off following a special donation from safety conscious staff and contractors at E.ON UK's Ironbridge Power Station.

Ironbridge Plant Manager, Richard Pennells, welcomed representatives from Severn Hospice in Telford and Hope House Children's Hospice in Oswestry to site to receive their cheques.

The cash was raised during one of the power station's safety initiatives, when staff and contractors had to record ‘good' and ‘bad' behaviours on a special ‘spot lamp' card, with a £1 charitable donation made for each highlighted action.

"By using this simple yet effective system we were able to encourage the team to celebrate positive safety actions and to exercise personal responsibility, as well as raising valuable cash for two very worthy local causes," said Richard.

"It was a great achievement by all involved, so we're looking at a real win-win for both safety and for local charities."

In total, 2,480 good and bad practices were received, meaning each of the hospices, nominated by the team at Ironbridge, netted a total of £1,240 to go towards their daily costs.

Sarah Hawthorne, Fundraising Officer at Severn Hospice, said: "E.ON's extremely generous donation will run the new Day Hospice in Telford for a day, providing places for 15 local people with life limiting illnesses.  Each will receive specialist respite care and therapy so the funding will make an enormous difference to their lives. 

"E.ON have been tremendous supporters of the new Hospice and we are so grateful to everybody there for all that they have done."

Michelle Lewnes, Appeals Organiser for Hope House added: "We've found this year to be particularly difficult - the summer floods saw a big drop in our donations. 

"So donations such as those from E.ON really have come at a time when we need them the most, for which we're truly grateful." 

These donations continue the long-standing support the power station has given the two local charities.

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For further information and photographs contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678