13 October 2011

New Christ Church Primary go solar
Eco-friendly children at New Christ Church Primary School in Whitley are the latest to jump on board Solar Schools.

The campaign, run by green organisation 10:10 and supported by the Reading Post, is inviting schools to raise funds for solar panels on the roofs of their schools to reduce energy costs.

Pupils and staff heard all about the scheme from Amy Cameron, Solar Schools co-ordinator at 10:10, during a special assembly to officially launch the scheme at the Milman Road school on Monday.

The campaign asks teachers and pupils to sell virtual tiles on solar panels which appear on their own Solar Schools website to friends, parents, groups and organisations.

The school has already raised 545, having received backing from Wokingham sustainable energy firm InstaGroup and Whitley graphic business VGL, along with several personal donations.

David Robson, managing director of InstaGroup, said: We are always looking to support local projects, especially one which is so close to our hearts, and we wish the school all the best with its project.

Jane Light, school finance officer, was delighted at the positive start to the fundraising.

She said: This is a great opportunity for the school to save money on electricity bills in the future and to provide a fantastic educational resource for our children at the same time.

Its great to have had support from local businesses already and we are looking into how we can get more companies involved.

Businesses who donate 100 or more get to personalise the panel with their business logo, a message of support for their donation and a link to their website.

School governor Claire Newbold added: With fuel costs increasing, and electricity being a large part of the schools fuel bill, this is a fantastic opportunity for the school to generate its own electricity.

Michael Ayerst, director of printing company VGL in Elgar Road, said: Environmentally friendly technology is something we continue to invest in at VGL and we were more than happy to sponsor the purchase of the Solar Panels for New Christ Church Primary School.

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