Islands Energy Group has pledged £5k for three environmental projects

Islands Energy Group, the parent company of Channel Island energy companies Guernsey Energy and Island Energy, has announced the winners of its Together We Can Fund, part of its Sustainability Strategy.

In Guernsey, Wild Islands Collective has been given £2,000 to purchase items to support the creation of their new film. Jersey Mencap have been given £1,500 to support the general day-to-day running of one of their projects.

The Together We Can Fund supports local charities, projects and initiatives that benefit the environment and the wider community.   

The Fund was launched by IEG earlier this year as part of the Group’s Sustainability Strategy – a roadmap to how the business aims to achieve Net Zero by 2050.  Aligning with the Strategy’s target to positively impact the environment and the communities we work in, the Fund invited organisations (conservation groups, charities, students, community groups, schools, social enterprises, among others) that are actively working on projects to conserve nature, promote sustainability or minimise their own or the community’s environmental impact to apply.  

 The winner from Guernsey is Wild Islands Collective, an organisation using film as a means to capture breathtaking imagery by creating visual stories that seek to captivate and help educate viewers on wildlife, biodiversity loss, conservation and our relationship with nature. The £2,000 award will be used to purchase a probe lens and a camera to support the creation of a new film they’re working on about pollinators.   

Pierre Ehmann, Producer and Editor at Wild Islands Collective, said: “We are thrilled to have been selected as the winner from Guernsey for the Together We Can Fund. This contribution will directly support the production of a high-quality film that shows unique habitats and species that exist in Guernsey. 

“Through our films, we aim to inspire a deeper appreciation for the wildlife across our islands and foster a sense of stewardship for our environment. Without this generous support, we wouldn’t be able to continue.”

 Jersey’s winner is Jersey Mencap, a not-for-profit organisation supporting children and adults with learning disabilities. Jersey Mencap have been given £1,500 to support with the general running of their Pond Project. The project has been running for eight years and helps children and adults with additional needs to gain skills in conservation and horticulture, the safe use of tools and general work experience on a bio-diverse site.

Alex Miles, Manager at Jersey Mencap, said: “We would like to thank Islands Energy Group for supporting Jersey Mencap and in particular our Pond Project, which offers adults with a learning disability the opportunity to be in nature throughout the seasons, and practise skills that often benefit other aspects of life

Alex Herschel, Chief Sustainability Officer at Islands Energy Group, said: “ “We are delighted to have received such a great range of applications for the Fund, from all three islands. Our employee led Sustainability Working Group voted for the Wild Islands Collective and Jersey Mencap because they felt that this project best aligned with IEG’s UN Sustainable Development Goals and Pillar Two of our Sustainability Strategy, which is all about protecting our local environment, positively impacting our local communities and strengthening our islands’ commitments to reaching Net Zero.” 

“Wild Islands Collective and Jersey Mencap are examples of two brilliant organisations that are striving to help the islands we serve, and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve with them throughout the year.”

 In the Isle of Man, Ballakermeen High School have been given £1,500 to fund a kerbside recycling programme and the installation of bins throughout their school.

For more details of the next round of our Together We Can Fund which runs twice a year, please visit the Together We Can Fund page.