On 5 July 2005 the Trust’s Chairman, Mr Elfed Roberts launched the Trust’s Energy Awareness Campaign. He spoke to an audience of 70 people that included some volunteer Local Energy Representatives and Executive and Non-Executive members of the Board.

Mr David Kennedy, Director of Estates and Facilities introduced the event and the Chairman outlined the benefits of having the campaign. Mr John Mulholland, Director of NIFES Consulting Group then gave a slide presentation explaining the aims, strategy and action plan. The campaign is being fully funded by The Carbon Trust in Wales and Welsh Health Estates and representatives of these two organisations, Mr Colin Albel and Mr Eric Thomas, expressed their support for the initiative and explained that the lessons learned from the campaign will be replicated in NHS Trusts across Wales. The Chairman and representatives from the Carbon Trust in Wales and Welsh Health Estates then signed their commitment to the campaign.

So far a total of 30 Local Energy Representatives have been trained by NIFES to act as local ambassadors for the campaign in their departments or area. After the campaign launch the Chairman and Director of Estates and Facilities toured wards on energy walkabouts speaking to staff and hearing their suggestions for saving energy by simple good housekeeping methods.

Climate change is high on the international agenda and there is a need to significantly reduce our carbon emissions - both at home and at work. The campaign aims to reduce CO2 by 572 tonnes in the first year of the campaign and this equates to cost savings of £60,000.

In his speech the Chairman suggested that if every member of staff saved 1p per day of energy or water the Trust would save £20,000 per year. So if 3p per day was saved the target of £60,000 would easily be achieved.