Stamps & Sustainability Gold For Paralympics
EDF Energy, an official partner of London 2012, is working with the British Paralympic Association to help the ParalympicsGB Pre-Games Preparation Camp achieve a gold standard for sustainability, while it has also been announced that Royal Mail will issue individual and team stamps for ParalympicGB gold medallists at this month’s Games.
The stamps, similar to those issued to gold medalists of the London 2012 Olympic Games, will be available within five working days of their success.
It will be the first time ever Royal Mail has issued gold medal stamps for ParalympicGB winners since the movement was founded in 1948.
Postboxes in the home towns of gold medal winning athletes will also be painted to honour their achievements.
Meanwhile, the ParalympicsGB Pre-Games Preparation Camp – taking place from 18th August to 2nd September – will be held at the University of Bath and is the final preparation base for the athletes before they compete at London 2012.
Paralympic teams from 10 sports including wheelchair tennis, archery and sitting volleyball will attend the camp and all will be encouraged by EDF Energy to live a lower carbon lifestyle when training, competing and at home.
Last year saw EDF Energy help the 2011 Simulation Camp become the first multi-day sporting event in the world to be accredited by the Council for Responsible Sport, achieving a silver accreditation for the event.
In 2012, EDF Energy is aiming for gold through collaboration with the BPA and other organisations involved with the Camp. In partnership they aim to improve the environmental impact of the Preparation Camp in a number of ways, from encouraging athletes to reduce the emissions of their travel to putting in place a full recycling programme to reduce waste. Shower adaptors and ‘save a flush’ devices will also be distributed to help athletes and staff reduce water use.
New for 2012 is a photography competition which invites athletes to show how they see sustainability by submitting images under the theme of ‘My Perfect World’. The photos will be published on social media channels for people to vote for their favourites.
EDF Energy has also developed a programme of education on sustainability issues for ParalympicsGB athletes and support staff. For example, everyday energy efficiency advice will be provided in welcome packs and in daily camp newsletters.
Team EDF member and Paralympic gold medal winning swimmer Ellie Simmonds attended the Camp last year and is backing the drive to make ParalympicsGB a leader in sustainability as well as sport.
Ellie said: ‘It’s great that EDF Energy is engaging with athletes to help them become more sustainable. Having such a strong focus on sustainability at the Preparation Camp definitely encourages us to think about what we can do to help the environment. We’re all really competitive and will do whatever we can to be the greenest team possible.’
Gareth Wynn, EDF Director, 2012 Programme, added: ‘Last year EDF Energy helped Paralympics GB achieve a world first when their training camp became the first multi-day sporting event to be accredited. At that time we achieved silver standard. But we are right behind Paralympics GB in their quest for gold on and off the field of play in 2012.’
