Customer service staff challenge school pupils ahead of London 2012

Fifteen staff from EDF Energy’s customer service centre in Sunderland took part in the ‘Powering Your Games’ day  with the pupils at Castle View Enterprise Academy.

The EDF Energy employees challenged the Year 8 pupils with a series of interactive tasks; they got the pupils to imagine some of the 2012 Olympic events are coming to Sunderland. All of the activities challenged the 12- and 13-year-olds to think about the impact the Games would have on an area and how to make it more sustainable. EDF is an official partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The team worked with groups to help map out a theoretical ‘Sunderland Games’ site, taking into consideration existing buildings that could be used, sustainable power options and rainwater harvesting ideas before they built their own model venue from recycled materials .

Imogen Bailes, 12, said: “We enjoyed all of the activities and they made us realise just how much work goes in to planning a major event.

“It was good fun building the models and thinking about what they would be used for afterwards.”

The activities helped the pupils with their communication and presentation skills as well as providing an insight into business and enterprise.

Emma Shearer, community specialist at EDF Energy in Sunderland, said: “Powering Your Games has been developed to engage with young people and give them an insight into London 2012 and the business behind the events.

“The activities are interactive and the pupils get really involved. They are asked to think about the impact of the Games on businesses and the community.”

Pictured above: Castle View pupil Imogen Bailes (centre) with (clockwise from top) Sophie Cunningham from EDF Energy, Chloe Middlemas, Anital Elliott from EDF Energy, Elli Crossley, Kate Walmsley, Emma Shearer and Kaitlyn Stridiron.