Picture: Laura Ratcliffe with Key Stage 2 national competition winner, Heidi F

Northern Gas Networks (NGN) is excited to announce the winners of its annual Carbon Monoxide (CO) awareness competition for Key Stage 1- and 2-year groups, aimed at fostering understanding and awareness of the dangers of this poisonous gas and how to stay safe. 

This competition is run jointly by the four gas distribution networks across England, Scotland, and Wales: Cadent, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), SGN and Wales & West Utilities. This year, pupils from across NGN’s region submitted creative entries, including pictures and videos, showcasing their innovative ideas on how to promote the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.  

The competition encouraged children to think about the dangers of CO, the causes and how to spot the signs.  

The winners of the competition are: 

Heidi F, 9 from Ovingham Middle School in Ovingham, Prudhoe created an impactful video with a very well-thought-through coding video highlighting all the signs of CO poisoning. Heidi won the regional finals and went on to win the Key Stage 2 national competition. 

David B, (age 8) from Redby Academy in Sunderland with a very well thought-through coding video highlighting all the signs of CO poisoning. 

Laura Ratcliffe, Social Strategy Programme Manager at NGN said: “We were incredibly impressed by the creativity and passion displayed by all participants. 

“We believe it is essential to engage the younger generation about the dangers posed by carbon monoxide, the causes and how to keep themselves safe.”

The winners received cash gifts both for themselves and their schools.   

Due to the popularity of this year’s competition, the gas distribution networks have decided to support another competition, raising young peoples’ awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide. This will run until the 31st of December 2024. 

The gas distribution networks will pick a winner from Key Stage 1 & 2 in their respective regions; NGN covers most of Yorkshire, the Northeast and northern Cumbria. Each winner will receive £150 for themselves and £300 for their school or organisation. 

NGN’s winners will then go forward to a national competition where they have a chance to win a further £300 for themselves and £600 for their school or organisation. 

All entries must be received by 31st December 2024.  

For more information about the competition, how to apply and to read the full terms and conditions please visit https://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/network-supply/get-creative-be-safe/ 

 Anyone that smells gas or suspects carbon monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24-hours a day, seven days a week.  

A NORTH EAST-BASED organisation supporting adult carers has been featured on over two million prescription bags this winter.

The Carents Room was launched by a former Tyneside GP, Dr Jackie Gray, and acts as a one-stop shop for the four million unpaid Brits caring for elderly parents.

Now the service has been promoted on bags distributed at over 2,000 pharmacies across England.

Backed by two major businesses, Cadent and Northern Gas Networks, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the free support available at what Jackie said can be a tough time for both carents and their loved ones.

“From increased hospital admissions to rising heating costs, a problem exacerbated this year by the removal of their fuel allowance, winter can put a significant strain on elderly people and their relatives,” said Dr Gray.

“That’s why we are committed to finding innovative ways of making those caring for elderly relatives aware of the wealth of free support available to help them.

“For carents, picking up prescriptions is one of the many duties they undertake especially if their parents are unwell or housebound, so this campaign is a wonderful opportunity to connect with them and provide the support so many desperately need.”

Each of the two million bags contains information about The Carents Room’s services, along with a QR code for carents to scan for instant information about the help they could receive, including advice on signing up for the Priority Service Register.

The free register means you could get extra help from your utility company if the power, gas, or water goes off in an emergency – or because of planned works.

Launched in 2020 following Dr Gray’s personal experience, The Carents Room has helped tens of thousands of carents across the UK.

The online resource offers free, impartial support on every aspect of being a carent – from advice on powers of attorney and finances, to expert guidance on navigating the NHS and care sector.

It also provides The Carents Lounge which is a virtual networking space for carents to come together and share their experiences and struggles.

Eileen Brown, Customer Experience Director at Northern Gas Networks, added: “Carers are the backbone of our communities, providing essential support to those in need. By investing in the well-being of carers, we not only enhance their quality of life but also strengthen the support available for their loved ones.

“Supporting carers means acknowledging their invaluable contributions and ensuring they have resources they need to make life easier, and we are very proud that The Carents Room is providing both emotional and practical support.”

For further information on Carents, please visit https://carents.co.uk/

ENDS

Northern Gas Networks to give away free carbon monoxide alarms this CO Awareness Week (18-24 November 2024)

• Only 37% of Northerners said they have a working CO alarm in their property
• Only 24% of people polled regularly test their CO alarms
• 19% would do nothing if they heard their alarm beeping
• 9% admit they’ve never had their boiler serviced
• Only 40% of those surveyed knew the dangers of CO poisoning

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is marking National CO Awareness Week by giving away up to 2,000 free carbon monoxide (CO) alarms to its customers from now until February next year.

The life-saving giveaway* has been launched to help protect people from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, which kills around 60 people and hospitalises 4,000 every year in the UK.**

Recent research*** conducted by NGN revealed that that only 37 percent of people in the NGN regions have a working CO alarm in their property, and only 24 percent regularly test it. 19 percent said they would do nothing if they heard their CO alarm beeping, while nine percent admit they’ve never had their boiler serviced.

Speaking about the research, Eileen Brown, Director of Customer Experience at Northern Gas Networks, said: “It’s worrying to see how many people still don’t have a CO alarm. Carbon monoxide poisoning cases rise in the winter when we’re using our cookers, fires, boilers and wood burners more, which is why we’re urging people to get in the know about CO and claim a free alarm through our week-long giveaway.

“Similar to a smoke alarm, CO alarms are activated when CO is detected in the air and will beep and flash to alert you of the danger. They’re small and easy to install, and you should have at least one on each floor. If you have a gas fire, log burner or open fire, it’s a good idea to have one in the room it’s in too.”

NGN wants to educate the region about CO by encouraging people to take two short online surveys to test their knowledge and rewarding those that take part with a free CO alarm.  To take part, visit www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/cohero. The giveaway will begin on 18^th November 2024 and end at midnight on 28th February 2025 (or before, if the 2,000 alarms are claimed before that date).

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colourless and odourless gas that is produced when carbon fuels are burnt. It can leak from incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained gas appliances, as well as flues, chimneys and blocked vents. You can’t see or smell it, so you can’t detect it if it begins to build up in your home, and if you breathe it in, it can make you seriously ill.

The signs of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse or loss of consciousness. If you think you may have carbon monoxide poisoning, immediately turn off the appliance you think may be causing it, open windows and doors, leave the building and seek urgent medical advice. You must also call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999*** and an engineer will come straight out to investigate and make the situation safe. This line is in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

ENDS

 For further information, please contact Jasmine or Nina at Content Soup on 07929 340 657 / 07971 598 904 or email hello@contentsoup.co.uk. A case study of a pregnant woman affected by CO is also available to support this story, see below.

Woman, 30, from Stanley, Durham, discovers carbon monoxide risk through routine midwife appointment

Ummay Alam was seven months pregnant in July this year when she went for a routine checkup with her midwife.

While carrying out the standard ‘blow test’, which is designed to detect whether carbon monoxide (also known as CO) is present in a patient, Ummay was shocked and alarmed when the reading came back as level 6 – a red flag that the patient is at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

She explains: “I couldn’t believe it. At my previous midwife appointments, my results had always been level 1. Up to level 3 is fine, anything between 4 and 9 is cause for concern, and anything above 9 is considered dangerous. To be at level 6 was a shock as we get our boiler serviced every year and the only other gas appliance in the house is a cooker.”

Following advice from her midwife, Ummay’s husband contacted their local gas distribution network, Northern Gas Networks, who came out the same day to carry out a full assessment on the property. The Gas safe registered engineer confirmed that the gas cooker was omitting CO.

Ummay adds: “Stupidly we didn’t have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in the house as we never thought things like this happened. It’s been a real wake up call. Our cooker is only five years old; we bought it when we moved into the house, but looking back we had had problems with it cutting out for the past year or so and even had engineers out to look at it who didn’t spot any signs. We didn’t think anything of it.

“I was kind of aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, but I’d never have put two and two together as I was heavily pregnant at the time and a lot of the symptoms – nausea, fatigue, headaches – are all similar. I am so glad the midwife picked it up.”

Being pregnant meant Ummay was eligible for the Priority Services Register and qualified for to have her cooker repaired with new parts, free of charge. “Saving that money was really helpful with an impending newborn, and Northern Gas Networks came to the rescue within just a few days.”

Ummay and husband Mishbah welcomed their first child, daughter Yaseerah, in September 2024. Both mum and baby are healthy and doing well.

Notes to editors:

* This promotion is only open to any resident or business owner within the Northern Gas Networks distribution area. To check if you are in the Northern Gas Networks geographical area visit https://findmygdn.co.uk/. Full terms & conditions apply. Please see full details on www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/cohero.

**Data provided by Open Data Portal for the period 1^st November 2022 to 31^st October 2023 (https://northerngasopendataportal.co.uk/)

***Research statistics taken from an NGN study conducted in February 2024, plus a survey of 2,008 people based in the North East of England, Yorkshire and Cumbria aged 18-80, conducted by Perspectus Global/Savanta in July 2024.