Charities benefit from UKAEA staff survey

July 21, 2008

Following a recent staff survey that was issued to employees within the UKAEA group, donations totalling £1,204 were made to selected charities.

UKAEA pledged to donate a pound for every survey form that was completed by its employees from all its sites across the UK. All in all, a total of 1204 forms were received and a cheque for £301 was sent to four different charities chosen by each of UKAEAs sites.

Dounreay selected their local branch of MacMillan Cancer Support, a charity whose aim is to improve the lives of people affected by cancer through the provision of practical, medical, emotional and financial support and campaign for better cancer care.

Harwell opted for ‘Against Breast Cancer’, a registered charity which funds unique research into breast cancer and which has been based on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus for many years.

Winfrith elected Weldmar Hospicecare, a local charity providing high quality specialist palliative care services for people with cancer and similar life threatening diseases in Dorset.

Culham donated to Helen and Douglas House Hospice, a registered charity providing respite and end of life care for children and young adults with life-shortening conditions, as well as support and friendship for the whole family.

Norman Harrison, UKAEA CEO commented, "I was delighted with the staff response in completing the survey. The fact that the response has enabled donations to these local charities is a real bonus, about which we are really pleased."

Notes to Editors:

UKAEA is responsible for the clean-up of its former nuclear research sites at Dounreay, Harwell and Winfrith. It also carries out the national fusion research programme at Culham, and manages the international JET facility there – the world’s leading fusion research project.

With more than 50 years of experience in nuclear site management, it has proven capability in dealing with some of the nuclear industry’s oldest and most complex facilities, and in all phases of site restoration – from programme planning, facility decommissioning, waste management and land remediation, through to release for regeneration. Since April 2005, UKAEA has worked under contract to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) on its nuclear sites.

UKAEA group comprises:

  • a continuing Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) covering those UKAEA functions which are expected to remain in the public sector for the longer term, including fusion research and input to the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus joint venture;
  • a commercial arm, in the form of a subsidiary company, responsible for the management of NDA sites, and with increasing commercial contracts for decommissioning and nuclear consulting in the UK and overseas; and Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, the site licence company undertaking the decommissioning of Dounreay.

A new site licence company, Research Sites Restoration Ltd, is expected to be licensed this year to undertake the decommissioning programmes at Harwell and Winfrith. 

For more information please contact:  Angela Vincent, Harwell Communications Manager