Tree-mendous gift from OVO energy helps to green local park

March 22, 2016 by Southend Borough Council

Tree-mendous gift from OVO energy helps to green local park

Tuesday 22nd March 2016

Children from Thorpe Greenways School have helped plant 250 trees in Southchurch Park East as the Council seeks to make the borough cleaner and greener.

The trees have been donated to the Council by OVO, the Council’s partner in its own energy initiative, Southend Energy.

The tree planting comes as the Council prepares to launch ‘Make Southend Sparkle’, a pioneering initiative to bring together community groups, businesses and the council to make our neighbourhoods cleaner and greener.

Mary Betson, Executive Cllr for Enterprise, Tourism and Economic Development, said: “I am delighted that we were able to use our links with OVO through Southend Energy – which has already attracted over 3,000 local customers in less than a year - to introduce further greenery into a local park.

“We are very grateful to them for donating these trees and I look forward to more of them being planted across the Borough.”

Reg Platt, Senior Manager from OVO said: “We pride ourselves on our green credentials, providing 33 per cent renewable energy as standard in both OVO's and Southend Energy's tariffs, along with our competitively priced Greener plans which are 100 per cent renewable**.

“That is why we were delighted to support the Council by donating these trees as it prepares to launch its Make Southend Sparkle campaign.”

Since its launch in May last year, OVO has saved over 3,000 customers an average of £287* on their energy bills whilst increasing the percentage of renewable energy these households use.

To find out if you can save, please visit www.southendenergy.co.uk