JULY 26 - LONDON 2012 sustainability partner, EDF Energy, is showing its support for ParalympicsGB tonight by sponsoring an athlete Expo and celebratory dinner in Birmingham.

 

Five hundred of the company’s employees showed their support for the ParalympicsGB team by applying for 39 places to volunteer to help at the event, which is being staged at the National Indoor Arena.

 

This will be the first time that the whole of the ParalympicsGB team for Beijing 2008 will have come together in one place ahead of their departure for their training camps in Hong Kong and Macau in a few weeks time.

 

The event comes on the heels of last month’s launch of the inaugural EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon. 

 

The EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon is encouraging runners to take part in the ‘Race Against Climate Change’ this October and sign up to the company’s 2012 Carbon Challenge.

 

EDF Energy’s 2012 Carbon Challenge is a pledge where people are encouraged to reduce their home energy carbon footprint by one tonne of CO2 by 2012. 

 

Paralympic swimmer and Great Britain medal hope, Liz Johnson, who will be attending the event with the rest of the team, recently starred in an EDF Energy national advertising campaign promoting the 2012 Carbon Challenge.

 

Gareth Wynn, the group director, 2012 Programme at EDF Energy, said: “We are delighted to be able to support this event and use inspirational Paralympic athletes to highlight our commitment to tackling climate change. 

 

"I know our employee volunteers are really excited to be involved and will be cheering ParalympicsGB on all the way once the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games get underway.”

 

Phil Lane, the chief executive of ParalympicsGB, said: “We were absolutely overwhelmed by the level of support shown by EDF Energy and their employees for this important milestone as we move into the final phase of our preparations for Beijing 2008. 

 

"The contribution from EDF Energy’s employee volunteers will help ensure the smooth running of the Expo for our athletes and their families and friends which will enable everyone involved with ParlaympicsGB to get the most out of their time together this week and set us up for what we hope will be a fantastic Games for us in Beijing.”

 

For more information on the 2012 Carbon Challenge and EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon, visit www.savetodaysavetomorrow.com.