PRESS RELEASE
Date: 09-08-05
St Buryan woman wins green electricity for a year
Cornwall Switch, the campaign to promote renewable electricity tariffs in Cornwall , has announced the result of its first prize draw. The winner, Jane Michell of St Buryan, will have her household electricity bills paid for a year.
Jane, who works as a researcher at the Duchy College Organic Research Centre at Rosewarne, is one of dozens of householders and small businesses who have opted for green electricity via Cornwall Switch since the campaign launched in May.
Jane Michell said: “It's a lovely surprise. To tell the truth, I'd forgotten all about having entered the draw, and it wasn't what persuaded me to change to a renewable tariff. But it's certainly an unexpected bonus!. I heard about Cornwall Switch through an organic gardening group I belong to, and it seemed like a great way to do something practical about climate change by supporting the development of clean energy sources that don't cause greenhouse gas emissions.”
Tom Scott of Cornwall Switch said: “ Cornwall Switch is designed as a word-of-mouth campaign, so we're pleased that Jane heard about us through a network that she belongs to spreading the word. We're inviting as many different groups as possible to get involved, and we're very encouraged by the response so far.”
Ben Simpson of Cornwall Greenpeace said: “Hardly a day goes by without more news of the disastrous impacts of climate change. In the last couple of months we've seen flash floods in Yorkshire , a tornado in Birmingham , extreme drought and forest fires across southern Europe and the heaviest monsoon rain ever recorded in India . Events like these are bringing misery to millions of people around the world and will get much worse if nothing is done to prevent global warming accelerating out of control. We all need to do our bit, and switching to electricity generated from sources such as wind, water and sun is a cheap and easy step that anyone can take. Cornwall Switch has been set up to make it even easier.”
Jane Michell said that making the switch had been a hassle-free process: “Transferring from my old tariff couldn't have been simpler, with hardly any paperwork involved. I'd be willing to pay a bit more on my bills each month to support the development of renewable energy, but by using the Cornwall Switch price comparison service, I found that it's actually possible to save a little by switching to green energy – and that's even before winning the draw!”
Details of the green electricity tariffs recommended by Cornwall Switch can be found at www.cornwall-switch.org , or by calling freephone 0800 1088 333. The next prize draw will be held in December, with Cornwall Switch paying the winner's electricity bills for a year, up to a maximum of £260.00.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1) Cornwall Switch is a not-for-profit campaign working in partnership with the price comparison and switching service Energylinx. For each customer who switches, Energylinx is donating £10 to Cornwall Switch. After covering its campaign expenses, Cornwall Switch will be passing any surplus income on to three good causes:
2) The South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) estimates that renewable energy has the potential to create a further 12,000 jobs and contribute an extra £260m annually to the South West economy.
3) Local organisations supporting the Cornwall Switch campaign include: Cornwall Friends of the Earth, Cornwall Greenpeace, Community Energy Plus, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the Cornwall Sustainable Tourism Project (CoaST).
4) The terms and conditions of the Cornwall Switch prize draws are as follows:
Entry is restricted to persons resident in the UK who are aged 18 or over and are not employees of Green Switch Climate Campaigns Ltd or of Energylinx Ltd, and who are not involved in organising the prize draws in any way. No purchase is necessary. It is also possible to enter the prize draws by sending a request in writing to Cornwall Switch, 12 Woodlane, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4RF, to be received by 10 September 2006. Only one entry and one win per person is allowed. Three further draws will be held: on 15 December 2005 , 15 April 2006 and 15 September 2006 , and on each occasion a winner will be determined by way of a random draw from all entries received by the date of the respective draw. All entrants will be included in each prize draw, provided that they have not already won a prize. Prize winners will be notified directly in writing by post and/or by email. The promoter reserves the right to draw a further winner in the event of failure to respond to prize notification. Green Switch Climate Campaigns Ltd undertakes to pay the cost of the electricity used in the household or business of each prize draw winner for one year from the date of winning the respective draw, up to a total sum of £260 for each winner. Winners will be asked to supply copies of their electricity bills over this one-year period to Green Switch Climate Campaigns Ltd for verification purposes, and payment will only be made on receipt of these documents. Details of the winners will only be disclosed if the respective prize winners agree. It is hoped that prize winners will agree to their names being included in publicity material for the Cornwall Switch campaign. The sponsor of these prize draws is Green Switch Climate Campaigns Limited, address: 12 Woodlane, Falmouth , Cornwall TR11 4RF.
ENDS