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The Port is also one of the key players in an annual ‘Sea Port Role Play Day’, organised by the Suffolk Education Business Partnership and Haven Gateway Partnership, which is based upon an imaginary emergency scenario within the Harwich Haven. Up to 100 students take on the roles of the sectors involved in the emergency response, and learn valuable decision-making and problem-solving skills, as well as becoming more aware of the jobs and opportunities available within the Port of Felixstowe and associated industries.
The Port also ran the ‘Port K’NEX Challenge’ for the first time in June 2008. Pupils from two local primary schools were taken on a tour of the Port’s 700-acre complex, and were then tasked with building a crane capable of lifting a shoe using K’NEX kits, with the aim of helping them understand more about the activities and operations of the UK’s largest container port.
The event was organised by Suffolk Education Business Partnership, and was such a success that it will be rolled out to local schools again in 2009. In fact, the Felixstowe challenge went so well that two teams reached the regional finals of the ‘Young Engineers’ competition, and one team got as far as the national finals.
One of the many ways in which the Port is involved with local schools is through student mentoring. The Port is one of the founder members of Suffolk Education Business Partnership’s ‘Passport to Success’ mentoring scheme, which is aimed primarily at professionals in the construction and engineering industries. The initiative pairs up Year 10 students from local schools with a ‘business mentor’, for once-a-week, one-hour mentoring sessions over a twelve-week period. Nine employees from the Port, eight Engineers and one ‘general’ mentor, have volunteered their services to work with local students, to provide them with valuable support and careers advice at an important time in their school lives.
A number of Port staff are also involved with local schools as Governors, and members of Parent Teacher Associations.
COMMUNITY
The Port’s ambulances provide important back up to the East Anglian Ambulance Service, dealing with, on average, around 400 calls per year from the local community. Not only is this service excellent for relations between the Port and the local community, but it enables the Port’s Paramedics to keep up their skills and sample different emergencies and situations.
The Port is keen to benefit and improve the surroundings of the community within which it operates, and, as such, has provided sponsorship for a number of enhancement initiatives within Felixstowe. In 2007, the Port became the new major sponsor of ‘Felixstowe in Flower’, a successful annual community competition to add colour to the town of Felixstowe and create an attractive environment in which to live and work. In 2008, the Port also became the major sponsor of the popular Felixstowe Carnival for the first time.
The Port returned to the Suffolk Show in 2008, with an impressive display of port equipment, including tractor units and forklift trucks, and a variety of interactive exhibits and displays for adults and children alike. A scale model of the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich took centre stage, and many local people took the opportunity to learn about HPUK’s development plans.
The Port of Felixstowe has also made a significant contribution to the amenity of the local area. In 1992, it donated a portion of land at Landguard Terminal to the local authority for use as a viewing area. This is now one of the area’s leading tourist attractions. The reconfiguration of Felixstowe South will provide a larger, enhanced viewing area, and a state-of-the-art visitors’ centre. The Felixstowe-Harwich-Shotley passenger ferry will also be provided with a new dedicated berth through the plans.
CHARITIES
The Port recognises the important role played by charitable organisations within the local community, and is committed to helping these organisations achieve their goals. Its involvement is focussed upon, generally speaking, medical and educational causes within Felixstowe and surrounding areas, but requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
As a responsible corporate citizen, the Port has come to the aid of many charities over the years. This has included contributions to the local efforts of large national charities; however, more often than not, it involves providing assistance to local charities run by local people, trying to make a real difference to the communities in which they are based.
In 2008, the Port became a Founding Partner in the Port Community Fund (PCF), which was launched at a reception held at Landguard Fort in May.
The Fund - which is managed by The Suffolk Foundation - comprises some of the leading shipping and transport companies in the country, and has so far raised around £70,000 to donate towards local good causes. The Founding Partners are Cory Brothers, Coscon UK Limited, Freightliner Group, Grange Shipping, Harwich Haven Authority, Johnson Stevens Agencies, Maritime Transport, MCP plc, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Pentalver, Port of Felixstowe and Wincanton plc. Further information on the Fund and details of how to apply for a grant are available at www.portcommunityfund.co.uk
Each year, the Port holds a ‘Charity Day’ to raise money for a chosen good cause. Beneficiaries of the considerable funds raised from this event have included St Elizabeth Hospice and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.
The Port also has an ‘employee sponsorship’ programme, which enables all employees to apply for sponsorship from the Port for their wide-ranging, and often adventurous, fundraising activities for local charities.
PARTNERSHIPS
The Port is closely involved with many important and influential organisations that work towards improving the economy and environment of the local region. Amongst others, it is a major stakeholder in the Haven Gateway Partnership, the Stour and Orwell Estuaries Management Group, and the Landguard Partnership.
The Port hosts Local Authority Liaison Committee meetings twice each year, which give members of District, County, Town and Parish Councils the opportunity to discuss a variety of issues affecting them and the communities in which they live.
The Port is also keen to promote its operations and activities to local schools, and so works closely with the Suffolk Education Business Partnership on educational initiatives, such as mentoring and schools challenges.
In order to improve its waste management, the Port has entered into a partnership with Suffolk Coastal Services, whose expertise has become invaluable as the Port endeavours to recycle and divert from landfill as much of its waste as possible.
Here, at the Port of Felixstowe, we fully believe in giving something back to the local community, and remain committed to ensuring that as many people as possible have the chance to share in the continued prosperity of the UK’s premier port.
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