BUSINESSES from across the North East are being asked to create a sustainable source of power for part of an environmental festival in the region.
A £10,000 prize is on offer for the winning design from the Festival of Thrift £10k Green Power Challenge, launched on Earth Day today by the organisers of the UK’s nationally acclaimed celebration of sustainable living in partnership with Teesside University and Creative Fuse North East. Festival of Thrift’s event at Kirkleatham is on the 24th and 25th of September.
The net zero design challenge will bring together local SMEs and students to work together in a one-day design sprint format on 27 May 2022, to explore innovative design solutions to green power one aspect of the festival site.
Read more: Minister and bp back college plan for £3.2m Energy Education Hub
A prototype of the winning design will be developed for use at this year’s Festival of Thrift with a grant of £10,000 by Anglo American, owner of the Woodsmith Project, the polyhalite mine being developed on the North Yorkshire coast.
Festival of Thrift Executive Director, Emma Whitenstall explained: “As an organisation, we have pledged to challenge ourselves to do more to minimise our own carbon footprint and work towards delivering a net zero festival, and this challenge is just one strand of our ambitious sustainability strategy. We are really excited to be working with SMEs and students from across the North East to explore some innovative ideas to help us achieve our goals.’’
Gareth Edmunds, Anglo American’s Corporate Relations Director said: “We are proud to support such a worthwhile initiative that will hopefully deliver a more sustainable future for this popular festival, whilst providing businesses and students in the area with a unique opportunity to take up this challenge to develop an innovative design solution.”
The Festival of Thrift £10k Green Power Challenge is open to SMEs based in the Tees Valley, North Yorkshire or the North East. A full day facilitated design sprint will take place on Friday 27 May at a Tees Valley venue from 9.30am to 5.30pm and each business will be paired with a student as a team on the day.
Participants will be guided through a fast-paced design sprint-style workshop to develop innovative solutions to the brief. At the end of the day, the strongest idea will be presented to a panel of experts who will select the design which will receive an Innovation Fund of £10,000 for development of a prototype over the coming months.
For further information and to apply visit https://www.festivalofthrift.co.uk/10k-green-power-challenge-announced-by-festival-of-thrift/
Festival of Thrift is funded by Arts Council England, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority.
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated Teesside Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here