Portraits

Regional policy for real people – Testimonial by Darren Beard, employee of Cleanbake, in Lancashire (UK)

31/01/2013Training followed by Darren Beard thanks to the EU-funded ENWORKS project has allowed this worker to make a useful contribution to environmentally friendly industrial practices.

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REGIO STARS 2013 winner – Sustainable Growth

31/01/2013

ENWORKS, in Manchester, is a unique environmental advice and support service that helps companies in the north west of England to make better use of increasingly scarce resources. Since 2007, with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund, it has advised 4 000 small businesses, helping them to make annual savings of more than €16 million through resource efficiency, to cut 34 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year, and to create or save 967 jobs. ENWORKS shows how green innovation can boost productivity, cut costs and increase profits.

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Georgina MacLeod, the O4O project

13/06/2012Testimonial of Georgina MacLeod about the O4O project. People in the EU are living longer than ever, and the proportion of the population aged over 55 is growing all the time. In some rural areas on the fringes of northern Europe, many pensioners live by themselves, and risk becoming isolated and marginalised if public transport and other services are not available and they cannot afford special care. In these remote regions, skilled staff, such as carers and nurses, are often hard to recruit and retain. The O4O project – Older people for Older people – co-financed by the European Union, responded to this challenge, using existing skills and experience within ageing communities. O4O shows older people how they can take responsibility for providing the services they need, and organises support across rural Scotland, Finland, Greenland, Northern Ireland and Sweden. At a time when public spending is under pressure in many parts of the EU, the project demonstrates how vital networks and facilities can be maintained in a way that also encourages older people to stay active and make an important contribution to society. Winner of the RegioStars 2012 Award, Inclusive Growth category

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Trixie Neilson from GRaBS project

13/06/2012Testimonial of Trixie Neilson from GRaBS project. Urban areas are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. To enable European towns and cities to adapt successfully to the challenges of extreme weather and warming temperatures, and to achieve sustainable growth, local people need to be consulted and actively involved in improving their environment. The GRaBS project – Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco-towns – focused on ‘green’ open spaces and ‘blue’ water resources. Trees and grasslands, for example, help to lower temperatures in towns, through evaporation. The project worked with local communities, helping them to improve their own environment and create healthier, safer and more pleasant living spaces for everyone. Winner of RegioStars 2012 Award - SUSTAINABLE GROWTH category

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RegioStars Awards 2011: projet GEMS (portrait)

23/06/2011Dans cette vidéo portrait, Richard Wynn-Ellis, étudiant en ingénierie marine au Llandrillo College dans le nord du Pays de Galles, nous raconte comment il a découvert et intégré le Bridge Marine Science Group, soutenu par l’UE dans le cadre du projet GEMS (croissance en sciences marines environnementales), cofinancé via le Fonds européen de développement régional (FEDER). Cette expérience lui a permis de mettre un pied dans le secteur professionnel sans attendre la fin de son cursus, lui qui espère un jour s’installer à son compte comme pêcheur au gros dans sa région.

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