A safety challenge provides much needed funds to a children’s cancer charity trying to make treatment less scary.
Employees at Northern Powergrid go the extra mile with their safety to support a children’s charity that supported one of their own during one of the toughest times of their life.
Back in 2019, Northern Powergrid trainee apprentice Paul Brown had to delay the start of his programme for two years due to the tragic news that his son Arlo had leukaemia.
Paul and his wife Jodie found themselves completely blindsided by the news and needed support from every direction to get through this tough time.
They turned to the charity Give a Duck to help make the cancer treatment less scary for Arlo and themselves.
The Give a Duck Foundation’s mission is to provide Chemo Duck packs to every specialist centre in childhood cancer in the UK and in partnership with some local children’s charities who distribute the ducks on their behalf.
Inspired by the incredible support they received, when Paul began his programme, he shared their story and experience with others.
So, in 2023, when Northern Powergrid’s North Yorkshire Regional Team won the safety champions initiative, they chose to donate £3,300 to Give a Duck, as a thank you for supporting Paul and his family through some of their darkest times.
This then inspired the team to keep on supporting the charity throughout the years, seeing Paul’s friends take on marathons and other fundraising activities to support the charity.
Darren Cunnington, Overhead Production Manager for Northern Powergrid and Paul’s Manager, said “What Paul and Jodie went through with Arlo is incredibly heartbreaking, so now we donate whatever we can to support those through Give a Duck.
“So, when the children are scared and don’t know what’s going on, Give a Duck are there to make sure they have someone to talk to and help them understand what's going on.
“The safety champions initiative meant that we could change small behaviours and hold each other accountable when it came to safety to benefit not only our colleagues but the local community. “
Elaine Dunning, Fundraising Manager for Give a Duck, said “Through the generosity of Northern Powergrid, you have funded 132 Chemo Ducks to be given to 132 children recently diagnosed with cancer.
“We support every Principal Treatment Centre in the UK who advise us that the support they receive is amazing and Chemo Duck provides understanding for the child of their cancer journey and makes the administration of their Chemotherapy, bloods and scans a quicker and smoother process.
“Thank you to Paul, North Yorkshire Team and everyone at Northern Powergrid, your support is very much appreciated.”
The safety champions programme is an initiative implemented to encourage positive safety behaviours.
Northern Powergrid award their industrial teams with points each month when they demonstrate good safety practices that work toward keeping themselves, their colleagues and members of the public safe.
At the end of the year, the winning teams are awarded with between £10,000 - £20,000 which is split between them to donate to their chosen charity.
You can find more information about the work Northern Powergrid does in your area via their website.
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