Tag: British Gas

Trussel Trust food banks thank Tesco for support

Back at the start of April, as the full effects of the pandemic were unfolding across the UK, more and more people were needing support from food banks.

In the previous two weeks, there had already been a 81% surge in need for emergency food parcels compared to March 2019 – and as April wore on, this increased need for help would continue, with double the number of families needing help compared to the same month in 2019.

We were working closely with food banks to ensure people who couldn’t afford essentials were able to get an emergency parcel – but food banks could only continue to provide that vital lifeline if there was enough food for parcels.

It made such a difference that at the start of April Tesco pledged to support food banks in our network, independent food banks and food redistribution charity FareShare, with £15 million worth of food to ensure support could be there for people.

The £500,000 of funding and support with Bags for Life also came at exactly the right time to help us support food banks during this challenging time.

During the past 12 weeks, these donations have been critical for food banks across the country, ensuring emergency support was there for anyone unable to afford food.

Tesco’s support made all the difference during the crisis – as Jon from Brixton Foodbank explains: “We don’t think this support should have been needed. Everyone should be able to afford their own food and we’re stepping up our work to end the need for food banks.

“But while we do that longer-term work, we need to make sure help is available for people in crisis right now.

“We are so grateful for Tesco’s support during the past 12 weeks – it was absolutely critical to making sure food banks were able to be there for people as the impact of Covid-19 first unfolded.”

Organisations unite to get food to people most in need

  • Many food banks across the UK have reported they are running low on essential food supplies
  • FareShare has seen a steep rise in applications from charities and community groups across the UK in need of vital food supplies
  • Sainsbury’s, British Gas, The Entertainer, Palletforce and XPO Logistics are working together alongside charities, the Trussell Trust and FareShare, to form part of a national solution to distribute food so food banks and community charities can continue to support people most in need
  • The major organisations are working together to ensure this food reaches food banks and community charities as quickly and safely as possible

Sainsbury’s, British Gas, The Entertainer, Palletforce, XPO Logistics and British Gas have joined forces to help distribute food to people who need it most. The unprecedented partnership will ensure the Trussell Trust and FareShare can continue to help support people struggling in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Each organisation1 is playing a vital role in distributing donated food from supermarkets, wholesalers and other food companies to food banks and community charities across the UK.

This innovative partnership comes as the Trussell Trust warns that more people are likely to need a food bank’s help as a result of the outbreak. Food charity FareShare has also seen a steep rise in applications from charities and community groups across the UK who are in need of vital food supplies.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust said: “This unique partnership beautifully articulates how society is pulling together in the fight against Covid-19.

“All these organisations have innovatively adapted their services to support the people most in need during this challenging time, and we are truly grateful that they are helping food banks to continue to provide their essential community service. But ultimately, no one should need to use a food bank. We want to ensure that this community spirit, of supporting one another during difficult times, continues long after this pandemic, so we can create a society where everyone can buy their own food.”

Judith Batchelar, Director of Sainsbury’s Brand said: “Coronavirus has impacted everyone in the UK and it’s important that we support each other now, more than ever.

“We are committed to supporting our colleagues, customers and our local communities during this crisis. In addition to helping FareShare redistribute food, we are still operating our food donation points in 92% of our stores which support 2,250 food donation partnerships, ensuring food continues to go topeople who need it most.”

Lindsay Boswell, CEO at FareShare, said: “This partnership is a testament to the incredible things we can achieve when businesses and the voluntary sector works together with a common purpose.

“It will enable FareShare to dramatically scale up the amount of food we can distribute right across the UK, enabling us to get more food out to the thousands of charities and community groups, fellow food redistribution organisations, food banks and pantries. It is these groups who, under the most extraordinary circumstances, are doing everything they can to safely deliver food onto the doorsteps of those who are most at risk.”

Matthew Bateman, Managing Director of Field Operations at British Gas, said: “This partnership is a great example of people and businesses coming together to help people who need it most.

“There are still so many of our people that want to do more to help people in need so by working with the Trussell Trust we can help get food and other essentials to those who really need it. We are in a unique position to help with our nationwide reach and with the third largest fleet in the UK.”

Gavin Williams, managing director, supply chain – UK & Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “This is a fantastic initiative, a collaboration that really does have a significant positive impact on the groups of people most affected by the pandemic.

“Our part in the food journey is in creating mixed parcels, palletising and consolidating them, before they reach the food banks. We are proud to be playing a role in expanding and speeding up the supply of essential goods to the front-line doorstep delivery.”

Michael Conroy, CEO of Palletforce, said: “Palletforce has helped deliver surplus food for FareShare for a number of years now and we’re privileged to play our part in distributing these food donations.

“Our members are out there ensuring supply chains keep moving, guaranteeing food and other essential supplies make their way to retailers. We’re pleased that they can assist in distributing critical supplies to food banks supported by FareShare and the Trussell Trust.”

Gary Grant, Founder and Executive Chairman of The Entertainer: “We’re extremely proud to have joined together with other retailers and businesses to support people in need within our communities during this challenging time.

“It’s both humbling and inspiring to see the outpouring of support for each other across the country and the coming together of retailers and businesses to provide help and support is something we’re delighted we can be part of. We hope the food will bring comfort to people who receive it in these difficult times.”

700 more jobs to go at Centrica

Scottish Gas owner Centrica plans to cut around 700 management and back office jobs under previously announced reductions as it faces “growing challenges,” the company announced this week.

The company said staff had been informed about the job losses, which are part of its ‘ongoing transformation’.

A Centrica spokesman said: “This difficult decision was made because we need to respond to the growing challenges we face. The energy market is going through continued rapid change, competition is fierce, our energy customers are leaving us and we’re operating under a price cap.

“Over the next 45 days, as part of a full consultation process, we will discuss the proposals and seek the views of employees and their representatives.”

Responding to the latest round of job cuts in Centrica, GMB Scotland Organiser Hazel Nolan said: “It’s the continued collapse of a once great British institution ahead of what will surely be a set of disastrous results next month.

“Iain Conn (Centrca’s CEO) is battling to save his skin on the back of a loyal workforce – thousands of livelihoods have already been lost and thousands more will pay the price for Conn’s rotten leadership.

“Let’s be clear that without intervention, sooner or later Scotland will suffer more pain; we expect a continued wave of cuts in the months to come and that’s more bad news for the fragile Scottish economy

“Iain Conn cannot keep cutting his way out of a crisis, Centrica will have to come forward with a credible recovery plan that reverses years of customer decline, defends jobs and works for the public interest.”

UNISON national energy officer Matt Lay said: “This is another terrible blow for a workforce that’s already seen hundreds of jobs go. It’s a catastrophe being repeated up and down the country as all the major energy suppliers axe staff in a desperate attempt to stay afloat.

“But it doesn’t have to be this way. If the government took the retail arms of the big six energy firms into public ownership these jobs could be saved. The staff could then help us all go green and ensure the UK meets its target to be carbon neutral by 2050.”

Earlier this week UNISON published Power to the People, a report calling on the government to nationalise the parts of the big six energy firms that sell energy to customers to help the UK hit its carbon neutral target by 2050.

The big six energy firms are British Gas (Centrica), SSE, E.ON, EDF Energy, Npower (Innogy) and Scottish Power (Iberdrola).

The Power of the Haggis!

SCOTTISH FEAST USES ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER STIRLING HOMES FOR THREE WEEKS!

  • Energy used across Scotland to cook St Andrews Day feast could power Stirling homes for three weeks
  • Preparing one dinner uses the same amount of energy as powering an LCD TV for six weeks
  • Haggis is the most energy-intensive ingredient to cook, using enough energy to power a games console for almost four days

Continue reading The Power of the Haggis!

Fan Power!

  • Fans at the Wales v Scotland match will burn enough energy to power an electric car from Glasgow to Fort William
  • A rendition of Flower of Scotland will burn enough energy to power a TV for nearly half an hour
  • Scottish Gas research looks at how many calories fans watching the rugby match would use and the equivalent energy output

Continue reading Fan Power!

You’re hired: Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Thinking of a career change? Don’t dismiss an apprenticeship!

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Discontented workers in Edinburgh looking to change careers could be limiting their options by assuming that apprenticeships are just for school leavers, according to new research released today from Scottish Gas. Continue reading You’re hired: Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Scottish Gas hires thirty Smart Meter apprentices

  • British Gas is set to recruit up to 200 Smart Energy Experts taking the total recruited up to 1,000 this year
  • Scottish Gas will recruit around 30 apprentices into roles across Scotland
  • 1.5 million smart meters have been installed in homes by British Gas – they are now being fitted at a rate of one every sixty seconds!

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British Gas will hire up to 200 apprentices in smart metering across Britain, taking the total recruited to approximately 1,000 this year, it’s been announced. Of those new roles, around 30 will be with Scottish Gas.

The apprentices will join the 1,400 British Gas Smart Energy Experts already installing smart meters in homes across Britain. British Gas expects to continue recruiting in smart metering to complete the nationwide roll-out by 2020.

The apprentices will install smart meters, explain to customers how to use the smart meter in-home display, which shows how much energy is being used in pounds and pence, and provide energy efficiency advice.

Customers will benefit from an end to estimated bills, accurate meter readings and the ability to better understand their energy usage, resulting in potential savings on bills. British Gas is currently trialling Smart Pay As You Go with customers who have prepayment meters. The company is also creating new apps that give smart meter customers information about their energy use on their phone.

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British Gas has installed over 1.5 million smart meters in homes across Britain, and is now fitting them at an average rate of one every sixty seconds. More than 117,000 smart meters have been installed by Scottish Gas in Scottish households.

John Craig, Director of Smart Operations, British Gas, based in Edinburgh, said: “This year, we will recruit around 1,000 apprentices in smart metering. We’ve taken the lead in giving our customers more control and insight into their energy use through smart meters. The new recruits will mean we can help even more people benefit from smart meters.”

The new Scottish Gas recruits will receive technical training and will study for the City & Guilds Level 2 QCF Diploma in Smart Metering Dual Fuel. Once they have qualified, they will be ready to go into customers’ homes across Scotland to install smart meters. They will each have their own fully-equipped van, and be supported by the latest tablet and mobile phone technology.

Pictured: Smart meter apprentice, Sam Gibb from Edinburgh – who recently started training as part of this new recruitment drive in the initial 70 Scottish Gas roles.

Pictures by Chris Watt

Sixty new jobs at Scottish Gas in Granton

Scottish GasAt least sixty new jobs will be created at Scottish Gas HQ on Granton’s waterfront, it has been announced. Parent company Centrica plans to create 300 jobs at contact centres across the UK.

The majority of the new posts will be created in Cardiff and Edinburgh,with the remainder going to Uddingston, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Oldbury and Stockport.

The jobs come on top of 300 similar jobs recently filled.  At least twelve school-leavers will be among the new recruits, as part of British Gas’ commitment to tackle youth unemployment.

Kevin Roxburgh, Director of Customer Services at British Gas, explained: “These extra 300 jobs show our continued focus on customer service excellence. We’re looking for people who are committed to helping customers, to join the 28,000-strong team at British Gas.

“These front line roles are critical to delivering the service our customers expect, helping customers with everything from bills and boiler breakdowns, to engineer visits and energy efficiency.

“Our contact centres are vital to the running of our company. They’re the main point where we’re in touch directly with customers, so it’s important we get it right.

“We’ll be ensuring customers get a swift response and resolution to their queries, by ensuring the right people are always on hand with the knowledge and expertise to help.”

Mr Roxburgh added that all new employees will undertake a comprehensive training period where they will be given the knowledge and expertise to deliver excellent customer experience.