Solar developer and children’s charity power up schools sustainability

Specialist solar project development company, Ortus Energy, is partnering with leading UK charity, The Youth Sport Trust (YST), to deliver a nationwide schools programme that equips young people with the skills, confidence and opportunities to lead change.

The ‘Youth Leadership Project’, powered by Ortus Energy, will use the inspiration and expertise of YST’s established Athlete Mentors initiative to empower young leaders to harness the positive power of play and sport to help improve wellbeing, build friendships, and foster better understanding of one another.

Apart from being environmentally educational, it will also support personal development and consider how young people – as well as leading more active and healthier lives – can work together for a more sustainable planet and future.

This project partnership works because Ortus Energy shares YST’s commitment to educate, inspire and make a difference to the communities in which they work. It’s aimed at young leaders aged 14-16 years to help nurture and inspire younger pupils.

Five schools across the UK (in Croydon, Matlock, West Bromwich, Carmarthen and Dumfries) are participating in initial co-creation workshops, with 15 more schools to join them for a pilot programme running September to December 2022. The national roll out will run January to December 2023 for a further 230 schools.

Alistair Booth, CEO of Ortus Energy, says: “We’re all about powering change – and change for the better. Supporting Youth Sport Trust enables us to demonstrate that commitment. The power of sport is important, it builds self-esteem, it encourages healthy competition and, most importantly, respect for one another. These are all core values we hold very dear as well.

“Through this collaboration, we also want to help schools become more energy resilient and invest in more positive outcomes – not only for their young people and future leaders through the inclusive power of sport, but a clean, green energy source that will dramatically reduce both fuel costs and their carbon footprint. Together with Youth Sport Trust, we will power a future that is sustainable for the next generation.”

Ali Oliver MBE, CEO at the Youth Sport Trust, adds: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ortus Energy.  These are extraordinary times for our young people and things have become critical for their health and happiness.  We live in a world where we are moving less, where digital technology is having an increasing impact on young lives and where children feel lonely and disconnected.

“This exciting partnership with Ortus Energy will enable us, the Youth Sport Trust, to empower communities of young leaders who harness the positive power of play and sport to improve well-being, build friendships and foster understanding for their peers. We strive to be a globally responsible charity and through our partnership with Ortus Energy we are also committed to enabling schools across the UK to access solar power, increasing their awareness and positive contribution to our climate change crisis.”

To register your school’s interest in joining the national rollout of the programme in 2023, please contact:supporters@youthsporttrust.org.

About Ortus Energy: Ortus Energy is a leading renewable energy development and investment company, which specialises in building, financing and operating distributed energy projects such as rooftop solar PV and battery storage. They’re a major new player when it comes to guarding against energy uncertainty, having recently signed a landmark deal with international assets investment company Fiera Infrastructure to deploy £100m of investments into the UK market. Their Commercial & Industrial (C&I) roof-top PPAs ensure organisations benefits from low-cost, clean energy, without any capital expenditure, that’s independent from the grid and not exposed to the volatility of open-market forces and prices. Visit https://ortusenergy.co.uk/ .

About Youth Sport Trust: The Youth Sport Trust is the UK’s leading youth sport charity for improving wellbeing through sport and PE. It empowers young people and equips educators to transform lives through sport and play. Founded in 1995, it works with around 20,000 schools around the UK. Its vision is to create a future where every child enjoys the life-changing benefits of play and sport. Visit www.youthsporttrust.org.