06/03/2008

School children will question a government minister and the region’s water company about plans to tackle climate change.

Senior management from Northumbrian Water and children from two County Durham schools are to meet the Minister for the Environment, Phil Woolas, on Friday, March 7, 2008.

Inquisitive pupils, between nine and seventeen years old, from Framwellgate Moor Primary School and Framwellgate School Durham will be given the opportunity to learn about the Minister’s ideas and plans on climate change, energy and sustainable development. 

The students will also find out how Northumbrian Water is adapting for the future by putting the water company’s newly appointed climate change manager, David Chapman, under the spotlight. 

The Minister and David will sit on a panel and answer questions from pupils.  The event will be hosted by the Science Learning Centre which is part of Durham University.

Reporters and photographers are invited to hear what Phil Woolas, David Chapman and the pupils have to say on Friday, March 7, 2008 at the Science Learning Centre, Front Street, Pity Me, Durham, DH1 5BZ at 10.45am.  A Northumbrian Water GLOBE weather station will also be on display.

Northumbrian Water supplies 2.6 million customers from Berwick down to North Yorkshire and across to the Pennines with water and waste water services and is committed to reducing its carbon emissions and energy use. 

Government Minister Phil Woolas said:  “This is a great opportunity for both myself and leaders of the North East water industry to meet with local children to talk about climate change and how it affects individuals and businesses alike.

“It is reassuring to see that companies like Northumbrian Water are taking climate change very seriously and it is important they are helping young people to think about the environment.”

David Chapman, Northumbrian Water’s climate change manager, said:  “The Minister’s visit is an excellent opportunity for us to explain what Northumbrian Water is doing now, and planning to do in the future, to adapt to climate change. 

“Northumbrian Water’s Globe programme, which involves us installing a free automated weather station in 85 schools across the region, is an excellent example of how we are encouraging children from a young age to think about how the weather impacts on our lives and our future.”

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For further information contact Cara Hall on 0191 301 6720.

Biographies

Phil Woolas moved to his current job as Minister for the Environment at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 29 June 2007. He has responsibility for climate change, energy and sustainable development.

He first won his seat, Oldham East and Saddleworth, in the 1997 general election.  He became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, a transport minister in 1999, and became a whip in 2001. In 2003 he was made Deputy Leader, and in 2005 moved to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to become Minister of State with responsibility for local government, later moving to the newly created Department for Communities and Local Government with the same responsibilities.

David Chapman leads Northumbrian Water’s strategy and action to tackle the causes of climate change and its impact.  He is helping Northumbrian Water to cut carbon emissions, reduce the amount of energy used and collect, collate and use weather data.

David lives in Norwich and was born in Manchester. He is a chartered Civil Engineer who studied at Leeds and Birmingham Universities and has wide experience of the water world having designed sea defence and flood protection works and been a member of the Storm Tide Warning Service monitoring and responding to sea and river flooding.

His work experience also includes sewage and water treatment, sewerage and drinking water distribution, investment delivery and asset management.