Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Claim Your Energy Voucher Day launches final push to get remaining £130 million in support to prepayment meter customers [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 31 May 2023.

Households on prepayment meters told to claim Energy Bills Support vouchers by 30 June, in final push to help those yet to benefit from £400 off their bills.
- Charities, consumer groups and energy suppliers unite on Claim Your Energy Voucher Day to reach traditional prepayment meter customers yet to claim government support
- households urged to use their energy bills support vouchers by 30 June, if they haven’t done so already
- new figures show record number of prepayment meter customers claiming their support, with £130 million still available for the next month
Electricity suppliers, charities and consumer groups are today joining forces with government for Claim Your Energy Voucher Day – a call to arms to make sure households with traditional prepayment meters avoid missing out on £400 worth of help with their bills.

With £130 million of government support left to claim, well recognised names backing the day include Which?, National Energy Action and Fuel Bank Foundation, as the sector comes together in a final push to get remaining households to use their energy bill vouchers worth up to £400.

Recent figures show the number of vouchers cashed in has reached an all-time high, with over 83% of vouchers now used. However, with a month left of the scheme, the government is renewing its efforts to see as many vouchers redeemed as possible.

Over the last week government adverts have been landing in hundreds of newspapers, bus stops, Post Offices, train station billboards and elsewhere across the country to let those on traditional prepayment meters know how to claim the support.

Prepayment meter users, who are often in low-income households, have so far claimed nearly £650 million under the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme. This means vital help is getting out to those that need it most, which direct debit customers received automatically over the winter – bringing the total delivered through the scheme to £11.5 billion.

Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said:

We’ve made huge strides in getting nearly £650 million from our Energy Bills Support Scheme out to prepayment meter customers, often in the homes that need it most.

Today we are redoubling our efforts to reach anyone who still hasn’t claimed this help, and it’s fantastic to see so many join our final push to spread the word.

Tell friends and family or anyone on a traditional prepayment meter to use their vouchers for up to £400 off bills before 30 June – there is still £130 million out there to claim.

Ministers are leading a rallying call for customers to head to a Post Office or PayPoint with their Energy Bills Support vouchers and ID before 30 June, so everyone can get the help available.

Charities and consumer groups have also voiced their support to help spread the word, as part of Claim Your Energy Voucher Day:

Emily Seymour, Which? Energy Editor, said:

It’s positive that over 80% of Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers for traditional prepayment meter customers – who are often on lower incomes – have now been redeemed.

However, there are still lots of households that will be missing out on much-needed financial support. We’d strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t yet redeemed their vouchers to do so before 30 June, so they don’t miss out on extra help unnecessarily.

It’s also important to remember that any lost, missing or expired vouchers can be reissued, as long as they are redeemed by 30 June 2023. If you are on a traditional prepayment meter and haven’t received your vouchers, are unsure of how to redeem them, or need a voucher to be reissued, you should get in touch with your supplier for more information.

Adam Scorer, chief executive, National Energy Action (NEA), says:

As energy bills have spiralled, National Energy Action knows how crucial the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme has been. The £400, paid in 6 instalments of £66 or £67 has helped many people this winter.

But prepayment customers – often some of the most vulnerable – were paid in vouchers and millions remains unclaimed. Some customers didn’t receive them, others struggled to redeem them.

We urge anyone who hasn’t yet claimed their vouchers to do so before the 30 June deadline and if you have friends and family that may not have used their vouchers, spread the word. It may be the support that keeps their lights on, their oven cooking, their hot showers running, through the summer. It’s vital money at a time when it’s never been needed more.

Matthew Cole, head of Fuel Bank Foundation, the national charity that provides emergency fuel vouchers to PPM customers, said:

We’re really concerned that hundreds of thousands of people with traditional prepayment meters are going to miss out on this vital financial support. There is a lot of misinformation circulating on who is eligible to claim the EBSS vouchers and how to redeem them, which is why campaigns such as this are really important.

As part of our own campaigning on this issue, we found that other reasons why vouchers haven’t been redeemed included not receiving them, due to incorrect details or the person having moved house and their records haven’t been updated, or they lost or deleted the voucher.

However, whatever the reason, we want to reassure people that if they haven’t claimed their EBSS voucher, there is still time to do so.

Today marks a final push in the government’s multi-billion-pound intervention, that protected families and homes over the winter, by covering nearly half a typical household’s energy bill. It comes after news last week that energy costs will fall by £430 per year on average from July, under the Energy Price Cap – marking a major milestone in the government’s efforts to halve inflation.

Latest figures, published earlier this month, show that for the sixth month in a row London had the lowest redemption rate, with more than 650,000 vouchers still unused at the end of March. Around 25% of vouchers in both Scotland and the South East of England are also yet to be claimed.

In a further drive to boost numbers, posters and reminders are popping up throughout the country, with details of what people need to do to claim up to 6 vouchers, each worth between £66 and £67, and get their energy bill discounts before the 30 June deadline.

Customers are urged to contact their electricity supplier as soon as possible over the next few weeks, if they have any issues with their vouchers.

Households using prepayment meters who use alternative fuels such as LPG, heating oil or biomass as the main way they heat their homes also have until 30 June to use their vouchers worth up to £200 in energy bills support. Customers will have received these vouchers in the post from their supplier and should contact them if they have any questions.

Today’s message to customers comes after months of campaigning from the government, consumer groups and energy suppliers to help prepayment meter households trade in their energy bills support vouchers, with some going door-to-door to spread the word. Londoners benefited from government pop-up events, in partnership with the Post Office and Citizen’s Advice – while adverts also ran across community radios, social media, national magazines and billboard vans roaming towns and cities across the country.
June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s actions have violated all pillars of nuclear safety and security – UK statement at the Security Council [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

Thank you, President, and I thank Director General Grossi for your briefing.

Since the start of its full-scale invasion, Russia’s reckless actions at nuclear facilities across Ukraine have threatened the safety of Ukrainians and the international community.

Let me be clear, Russia’s control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is illegal and continues to pose a serious threat to the facility’s safe and secure functioning.

The IAEA’s February report confirmed the continued presence of military personnel and activity across the site, and described a situation that is “dangerous, precarious and challenging”.

Unauthorised military vehicles and stores sit in turbine halls. Landmines in the vicinity of the plant endanger Ukrainian operating staff and delay maintenance work. Supply chains and associated logistics continue to be severely impacted by the conflict, and off-site power supplies remain vulnerable.

New imagery shows Russian forces have established sandbag fighting positions on the roofs of several of the six reactor buildings. This indicates they have integrated the actual reactor buildings, of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, into tactical defence planning.

Russia’s actions have violated all of Director General Grossi’s ‘seven pillars of nuclear safety and security.’

We’ve always been clear that as long as Russia’s illegal control of the plant continues, its safe and secure operation cannot be ensured.

As the Director General said, the situation simply cannot go on. I thank him and his colleagues at the IAEA for their bravery and ceaseless efforts to support nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, together with the Ukrainian Government.

We continue to support the IAEA’s work in Ukraine and its efforts to ensure the safe and secure use of nuclear technology around the world.

We recognise Director General Grossi’s efforts to maintain safety at the Zaporizhzia plant including through his five principles, as part of a solution that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty.

I pay tribute too to the bravery, professionalism and resilience of Ukrainian staff at the plant who continue to work tirelessly under duress.

President, the situation at Zaporizhzhia is entirely of Russia’s making.

Russia can resolve this situation at any time. It should withdraw its troops from the plant and from all of Ukraine.

Thank you.

June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Predictable aid access is essential to ensure the Syrian people have their basic needs met – UK statement at the Security Council [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

Thank you to Special Envoy Pedersen, Ms Mudawi and to Ms Aveline for your informative briefings.

It is clear from the Special Envoy’s remarks, the last month has seen significant developments in Syria. So, now is the time to redouble our efforts for an inclusive and accountable end to the conflict so that Syrians enjoy peace, so Syria no longer exports instability to the region and refugees can return in safety and with dignity. Security Council resolution 2254 provides the framework to deliver sustainable and lasting peace for the people of Syria.

Last week, the UN and international community came together to focus on the protection of civilians. This includes 15.1 million people in need because of the impact of 12 years of war, including 4.1 million people in North West Syria who faced a crisis on top of a crisis when the devastating earthquake hit in February.

We welcome the extension of access to Bab Al Salam and Al Rai earlier this month, and we applaud the UN’s efforts there. But last minute agreements for short-term periods are not workable. As the Secretary-General has said, and the Special Envoy reminded us today, humanitarians need to plan effectively, with predictable access, in order to deliver the indispensable, as Ms Mudawi said, “the indispensable humanitarian” [assistance] to people who are, as she said, “in life and death need.”

So, the extension of the Council’s mandate for Bab Al Hawa for at least 12 months, as all three of our briefers have said today, is critical. But the people of Syria deserve more than that. They deserve answers on the whereabouts of their loved ones who have been detained and or are missing. As the Special Envoy said, this is a core issue that affects all Syrians, on all sides of the conflict. Progress on this issue is essential for rebuilding trust with the Syrian people, and putting in place the conditions needed for refugees to choose to go home.

We also need effective action to stem the illegal captagon trade, to demonstrate that regional stability comes above the billion-dollar income the regime currently derives from it.

Colleagues, for a stable region, we need a sustainable end to this conflict. Security Council resolution 2254 is the framework to deliver that lasting peace for the people of Syria.

We call on the Syrian regime to meaningfully engage in this process.

Thank you.

June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Americas Minister visits Midwest to promote UK-US trade ties [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2023.

UK Minister for the Americas David Rutley travels to the Midwest to promote UK-US trade ties that support millions of livelihoods on both sides of the Atlantic.
- UK Americas Minister travelling to Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky as part of policy to deepen trading ties with states across the US
- with more than $1 trillion invested in each other’s economies, visit will build on US-UK trade relationships and help create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic
- David Rutley to meet with key political and business leaders and will attend the 91st US Conference of Mayors in Columbus, Ohio
The UK’s Americas Minister David Rutley is travelling to the heartland of the American Midwest from today (Tuesday, 30 May) to promote UK-US trade ties that support millions of livelihoods on both sides of the Atlantic.

In a visit to Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, David Rutley will champion the UK as a great investment and business partner for states across the US, building on the more than $1 trillion already invested in each other’s economies.

The US is the largest destination for UK foreign direct investment, and the UK supports more jobs in America than any other country in the world, with more than 1.2 million people in America working for British businesses.

Economic growth and the creation of better paid jobs is among the five priorities set out by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Minister Rutley will discuss with political and business leaders how the UK and US can boost cooperation in key sectors to make their economies more resilient, create jobs and protect livelihoods.

Minister for the Americas and Caribbean David Rutley said:

The US and the UK have more than $1 trillion already invested in each other’s economies and our relationship drives growth and supports millions of jobs.

We’re working in partnership to take full advantage of the rich bounty of business opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.

The UK is strengthening trade ties with individual states across the US, in parallel to work with the federal government, and has already signed memoranda of understanding with Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Oklahoma.

Active engagement with other states, including Texas, Utah and California, is ongoing to sign further arrangements which will make it easier and cheaper for US and UK companies to do business with each other.

During his time in the Midwest, Minister Rutley will hold bilateral meetings with leading state-level political and business figures.

In Ohio, Minister Rutley will also attend the 91st annual US Conference of Mayors in Columbus where he will meet with key political figures to showcase how the UK can work with cities across the country in building trading relationships that can help drive regional economic growth.
June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK donates equipment to the Lebanese Army [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2023.

The spare parts will improve the Land Border Regiments’ Land Rovers recce capability and support their mission to defend the security and stability of Lebanon.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell announced the donation of additional Land Rover spares worth over £400K to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). This is part of our continuing partnership with the LAF through the UK’s Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF). The spare parts will improve the Land Border Regiments’ Land Rovers recce capability and support the LAF in its mission to defend the security and stability of Lebanon and on the borders.

Ambassador Cowell gifted the Land Rover spare parts at a handover ceremony at the Lebanese Army Logistical base in Kfarshima on Tuesday 30 May. In attendance was Brigadier General Johnny Akl, Head of the Logistical Branch representing the Lebanese Army Commander Joseph Aoun and senior Lebanese officers.

After the ceremony, Ambassador Cowell said:

I am proud to be able to gift spare Land Rover parts worth £400K to contribute to the Lebanese Armed Forces’ resilience and operational readiness on the frontlines amidst a dire economic crisis.

Land Rover Defender vehicles form the backbone of the LAF’s mobility. Our UK teams with the Army’s leadership will continue to develop servicing, maintenance and equipment care procedures for the vehicles.

The role of the LAF remains fundamental to safeguarding Lebanon and its people, particularly in these increasingly challenging times.’’

Since 2010, the UK has committed over £98 million, through its Conflict, Stability and Security fund, allowing the LAF to optimise its capabilities, and develop and modernise to become a respected, professional armed forces able to defend Lebanon and provide security along its border with Syria.

June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New guide to boost understanding of video games [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 30 May 2023.

New guide for academics and industry aims to boost understanding of video games to support UK’s world leading sector.
- New framework for researchers will encourage more analysis on video games and related technology
- Plans identify priority topics for research including the economic benefits of games, their role in education and potential impacts on player wellbeing
- Publication fulfils government commitment to develop better evidence following call for evidence on loot boxes in video games
A new guide to support research and build a better understanding of video games is published today.

Video games are played by more than half of British adults and the sector is one of the UK’s fast-growing creative industries, contributing £2.8 billion to the economy and employing 27,000 people in 2019.

To support the potential growth and development of the industry, further research is needed to fully understand players’ experiences, and the impacts of games on individuals, communities and the economy more widely.

Last week at the Enders Conference, the Culture Secretary spoke about her desire to maximise potential within the creative industries – of which video games are a key part – with an ambition to grow the sector by an extra £50 billion by 2030; help create a million extra jobs in the sector by 2030; and deliver a Creative Careers Promise that builds a pipeline of talent into our creative industries.

The Video Games Research Framework, developed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in collaboration with academia, research councils and the games industry, aims to support researchers to build a stronger evidence base for future policymaking.

Minister for the Creative Industries, John Whittingdale, said:

Video games are a booming industry – employing thousands of people and contributing billions to our economy, whilst bringing enjoyment to people in fun and challenging ways.

Today’s plans will encourage more research and study in this area so we can better support the opportunities of this highly innovative sector while also protecting players.

Professor Tom Rodden, DCMS’ Chief Scientific Advisor, said:

DCMS supports some of the most exciting sectors in the UK and it is my priority to ensure that policymaking in the department is underpinned by the best possible science, research and evidence to drive growth and enrich lives.

The Video Games Research Framework aims to facilitate high-quality research in the field of video games – promoting inclusive, transparent and independent practice.

I am excited to see how adoption of the framework shapes new research and benefits not just policymakers in government, but the games industry and everyone who chooses to make video games a part of their lives.

The guide sets out a number of priority areas in need of stronger evidence to help academics and industry focus research projects. Priorities recommended by the framework include why people interact with games, their impact on physical and mental health and the effect of in-game features like spending and advertising on players’ experiences. The framework also suggests wider areas of focus, such as the economic potential of the industry and the role of video games in education.

The framework brings together guidance and examples of recommended research practices, including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) principles on research integrity, knowledge sharing and managing conflicts of interest.

The document also provides advice and information on data sharing, as academics identified access to industry and player data as a barrier to enabling better research. It outlines researchers’ legal obligations under UK data protection laws and directs users to guidance from expert bodies such as the Information Commissioner’s Office and UKRI on how data should be collected and handled during studies.

Publishing the framework delivers on the Government’s commitment to support better evidence on the impact of video games after the call for evidence on loot boxes in video games found that research in this area is still emerging.

Dan Wood, Ukie Chief Strategy Officer and co-acting CEO, said:

The establishment of a new Video Games Research Framework will provide objective, robust evidence, strengthening our understanding of the impact of video games across society. As a sector, we will never stand still on this issue and will continue to work collaboratively with government, academia, and industry partners, within the principles of the Video Games Framework to ensure any future change is driven through strong evidence.

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

The Video Games Research Framework should be a valuable tool for conducting research in the video games sector. TIGA is pleased to see this framework in place and looks forward to seeing it used as a guide for advancing understanding in this dynamic and world-leading industry.

Professor Peter Etchells, Professor of Psychology and Science Communication, Bath Spa University, said:

The new Video Games Research Framework provides a much-needed set of standards to advance the scientific study of games in an ethical, progressive and robust manner. My hope is that this will allow us to leverage the power of player data, in order to answer meaningful questions about how games can impact health and behaviour.

Professor Andrew Przybylski, Professor of Human Behaviour and Technology, Oxford Internet Institute, said:

The framework provides an actionable blueprint for industry and independent scientists to work collaboratively to harness the power of human play to understand how we shape and are shaped by games.
June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Asbestos conman Lee Charles ordered to pay back £82,100 [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 30 May 2023.

A conman who toured England to deceive customers over the disposal of harmful asbestos has been ordered to pay back £82,100.

Lee Charles of Caldicot Gardens, Grantham, in Lincolnshire, previously pleaded guilty in 2022 to lying to customers and giving false paperwork to hide his deception. He was given a suspended prison sentence.

The defendant was back at Lincoln Crown Court, May 22, in a case brought by the Environment Agency under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Following a financial investigation into the lawful costs he avoided from his crimes.

Charles marketed himself as Lincs Demolition Limited for 2 years, claiming he was registered to remove asbestos to gain lucrative jobs from Dorking to Doncaster. He had no legal permit to carry out the work.

The list of places where the 40-year-old acted out his dishonesty can be found at the end of the release.

Asbestos is a hazardous substance when disturbed and carcinogenic. The UK banned its use in 1999.

Having duped his customers, Charles stashed the waste asbestos in hired storage containers at Welbourn, in Lincolnshire. 200 metres from a school and close to a Girl Guide centre.

Charles told the owners of the storage space he wanted to keep tools there. When he failed to pay the rent on the containers, the owners forced the locks and were confronted with the dangerous contents.

Paul Salter, an Environmental Waste Crime Officer for the Environment Agency, said:

Lee Charles’ crimes were not just illegal, but dangerous. He has been ordered to pay back, and this sends out a clear message to others who flout the law that waste crime does not pay.

Not only do we use environmental law to prosecute those who abuse the environment, but we also use the Proceeds of Crime legislation to ensure that criminals are deprived of the benefits of their illegal activity.

We support legitimate businesses, and we are proactively supporting them by disrupting and stopping the criminal element backed up by the threat of tough enforcement as in this case.

We continue to use intelligence-led approaches to target the most serious crimes and evaluate which interventions are most effective.

If you see or suspect waste crime is being committed, we urge you to report it immediately to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Once exposed, Charles abandoned the storage containers at Welbourn, moving his activities to an unpermitted waste site 16 miles away near Sleaford. He continued to store asbestos unsafely, posing a risk to public health.

In 2015, illegal waste activity was estimated to cost over £600 million in England alone, with the figure for the UK likely to be much higher.

The Environment Agency’s permitting system enables businesses to carry out their operations, while robust regulation provides the level playing field legitimate businesses need to prevent being undercut by irresponsible or illegal operators.

Additional information:

Charles previously pleaded guilty to two counts of operating a waste operation without a permit between 2017 and 2019, contrary to Regulations 12, 38(1)(a) and 41(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of keeping or disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm, contrary to Sections 33(1)(c), 33(6) and 157(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The list of locations are:
- Abingdon
- Barton-upon-Humber
- Boston
- Burntwood
- Cambridge
- Caterham
- Doncaster
- Dorking
- Erdington
- Birmingham
- Grantham
- Gravesend
- Great Yarmouth
- Huntingdon
- Ipswich
- Kettering
- Kings Lynn
- Leicester
- Lincoln
- Loughborough
- Luton
- Mansfield
- Market Rasen
- Melton Mowbray
- Newark
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Oakham
- Peterborough
- Scunthorpe
- Sidcup
- London
- Sleaford
- Spalding
- St Ives, Cambridgeshire
- Stockport
- Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester
- Stourbridge
- Walsall
- Warsop
- Wellingborough
- Worksop.
June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of lay member Elisabetta Sciallis to the Civil Procedure Rule Committee [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 30 May 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Elisabetta Sciallis as a lay member of the Civil Procedure Rule Committee for 3 years from 1 June 2023.

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) is the statutory body that governs the practice and procedure to be followed in the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal, the High Court, and the County Court.

This appointment was made by the Lord Chancellor after consulting the Lord Chief Justice.

Appointments to the CPRC are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Ms Sciallis is a Principal Policy Advisor in Consumer Rights for Which?; a role she has held since 2022. Prior to this, she worked as an Executive for the UK European Consumer Centre at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and, as a qualified lawyer with 18 years’ experience in commercial and consumer law, she has also lectured at Brunel University.

June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Three members appointed to the Legal Services Board [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 30 May 2023.

Mike Freer MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, has approved the appointments of Clare Brown, as a non-lay member and Kate Briscoe and Lizzie Peers, as lay members of the LSB.

Mike Freer MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, has approved the appointments of Clare Brown, as a non-lay member, and Kate Briscoe, as a lay member, of the Legal Services Board; both for a period of 4 years from 1 June 2023.

Mike Freer MP has also approved the appointment of Lizzie Peers, as a lay member of the Legal Services Board, for a period of 4 years from 1 October 2023.

Biographies

Clare Brown is a Barrister at 2 Temple Gardens. She is on the Treasury A Panel and is frequently instructed by the Government in high profile public law cases. She formerly worked for the European Court of Human Rights and for the Ombudsman of Human rights in Bosnia. Clare is also a senior lecturer on the Bar Course at City Law School, University of London.

Clare has not declared any political activity.

Kate Briscoe is the CEO and Co-Founder of LegalBeagles; the UK’s largest legal advice forum as well as JustBeagle; an independent search and legal comparison site to directly connect consumers to 10,000 regulated law firms across England and Wales. She has served as an expert panel member for the Solicitors Regulation Authority and, as a consumer rights advocate and consumer litigator, at Howlett Clarke Solicitors.

Kate has not declared any political activity.

Lizzie Peers has over nine years’ experience as a Non-Executive Director across a variety of national and local organisations including the University Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, the Ministry of Justice, DEFRA, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. She has over 20 years of experience as an external auditor and regulator with the Audit Commission and Ernst and Young LLP.

Lizzie has not declared any political activity.

June 12, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Widespread ewe-phoria as Shaun the Sheep becomes Countryside Code Champion [May 2023]

The press release issued by Natural England on 30 May 2023.

New campaign will encourage young people to “respect, protect and enjoy” the countryside.

Shaun the Sheep was today (30 May) revealed as the new champion of Natural England’s Countryside Code.

A new baa-rilliant campaign with Aardman will see the popular animated character encourage children and young people to “respect, protect and enjoy” the countryside. From Mossy Bottom farm, Shaun and friends will follow the Countryside Code and show children how to care for nature, follow signs and share the space with others.

It follows research from Natural England’s Children’s People and Nature Survey which revealed that 80% of children and young people agreed that looking after the environment was important to them, and 83% said they wanted to do more to look after nature and wildlife.

Marian Spain, Chief Executive of Natural England, said:

Shaun the Sheep and his endearing friends are the perfect illustration for the next generation of explorers on how to respect, protect and enjoy nature, whether in parks in towns and cities, at the seaside or in the countryside.

We know that children care deeply about the environment, and that 85% of children feel happy spending time outdoors – so it’s really important that we help young people enjoy the invaluable health and wellbeing benefits that nature offers, while giving it the respect it deserves.

Since the Covid 19 pandemic, more people have experienced the joys of nature – whether spotting rare birds across the network of National Nature Reserves or walking through grasslands and saltmarshes along the recently renamed King Charles III England Coast Path.

In response to more people wanted to visit the countryside and green spaces, Natural England refreshed the Countryside Code and updated guidance for land managers giving everyone access to guidance on how to enjoy the great outdoors safely and responsibly.

Under the updated guidance which extends to all green space, waterways and parks in cities, people are encouraged to “be nice, share the space and say hello” to fellow users of the countryside. The code has simple reminders to respect those working in the countryside, to dispose of litter responsibly; avoid feeding livestock; to not light fires; and to stay on marked footpaths to protect crops and wildlife.

Rachael Peacock, Senior Brand Manager at Aardman, said:

It’s great to be working with Natural England on this engaging and informative Countryside Code campaign.

Living on Mossy Bottom Farm, Shaun’s connection to the countryside makes him a baa-rilliant and fun ambassador for nature, and we look forward to encouraging families to enjoy the outdoors respectfully.

Natural England and Aardman have created a suite of assets to help inform children and young people about the messages of the code, and how to ensure the outdoors is a place for everyone to enjoy. The assets will be hosted online and available for download in use across promotional materials.

Follow our social media channels and see where Shaun’s next countryside adventure will take him.

June 12, 2023