Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and Dorset skills-for-life charity SafeWise are working in partnership to raise awareness of child safety issues around electricity substations, associated power lines and works.

In addition to becoming a £10,000 Silver sponsor of the learning villages in Bournemouth and Weymouth -which will help fund young attendees' visits to the sites -SSEN colleagues have taken time away from their day jobs to build a power station and overhead cable network at the SafeWise Weymouth site, to help visitors better understand how our power systems work.

By using their Be the Difference days, which enables SSEN staff to take time away from their day jobs to volunteer with local charities and good causes, SSEN colleagues installed a decommissioned electricity substation and overhead power lines at the Weymouth site in time for the centre's Junior Safety Inspector family tours, which started at the end of August.

SSEN will also continue to help SafeWise develop content for future programmes they have planned for older people, home leavers, school children, families and other visitors.

Stakeholder Engagement Manager for SSEN, Alison Dean said: "Through our sponsorship and newly installed Weymouth scenario, SSEN is delighted to be able to extend this partnership with SafeWise, which helps us to show a younger audience the potential dangers that power supplies can bring when not used responsibly or with proper care."

"Being able to use Be the Difference days to build the overhead power lines and substation from decommissioned equipment means that we can bring safety scenarios to life that might otherwise be difficult to envisage. Now, visitors to SafeWise can easily visualise what can happen when people fail to act safely."

"This newly installed display builds a greater understanding for our younger visitors and while they're learning how to stay safe, we're able to speak to their parents or carers about how we can help with the additional free services we provide to help people of all ages feel less vulnerable during a power cut."

SafeWise Chief Executive Rob Hattersley said: "We're excited to welcome SSEN as a new silver SafeWise partner and would like to thank them for their support, which will help SafeWise charity continue its essential skills for life education. The new substation and power lines at SafeWise Weymouth is a fantastic new safety scenario for visitors to experience and learn from."

The new partnership also aims to increase awareness of additional SSEN community services - including a Priority Services Register, free-to-call 105 emergency number and Power Track app that keeps customers fully up-to-date during power cuts while enabling them to report issues.

By registering for SSEN's PSR, customers will be proactively contacted to warn them of potential bad weather to help them prepare and to offer extra support where required. SSEN's teams will also keep in close and regular contact with its PSR customers during network outages to check they are getting the help they need.

Customers can qualify for SSEN's Priority Services Register if they:

  • Are dependent on electricity for home medical care
  • Have a chronic illness or short term medical condition
  • Are disabled
  • Have special communication needs
  • Have children under the age of five
  • Are over the age of 60

To find out more about the PSR, click here or call our priority team on 0800 294 3259 to find out if you are eligible to register.

SSEN's Powertrack system can be accessed here, with information on how you can download the app.

For further details on 105 and general advice on what to do in the event of a power cut or electrical emergency, click here.