Opus Energy, one of the UK’s leading business energy suppliers, has pledged to raise £10,000 throughout 2010/11, for one of the UK's most common, life-threatening, inherited diseases, Cystic Fibrosis. Over the next year the employees of the Northamptonshire based energy company will embark on a calendar of fundraising and volunteering activities in and around the community. They will organise fun days in the office, take part in individual and team events, make personal donations and take part in some of the challenges organised by the charity. By pledging to raise £10,000 the energy supplier will be helping sufferers in and around Northamptonshire receive the daily treatment they need. Charlie Crossley Cooke, founder and Managing Director of Opus Energy comments; “The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is a charity that is very close to the heart of an Opus employee who has a young child living with the disease. Due to the comparatively low numbers of people suffering from Cystic Fibrosis it is often overlooked but, because of our personal exposure, the need to assist the charity with the invaluable work they do really has really struck a chord. Opus will be donating the money to help provide support and care for those affected in the Northamptonshire area and also to help raise awareness of the disease.” The Cystic Fibrosis trust is the UK's only national charity dealing with all aspects of the disease. The fundraisers and Expert Patient Advisors throughout the UK, fund research to treat and cure the disease and aim to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people suffering. Sue Piper, Senior Corporate and Trust Fundraising Manager for Cystic Fibrosis comments; “We are absolutely delighted that Opus Energy has chosen us as their charity of the year. “The disease claims so many young lives. The money raised will help to fund treatment and equipment that Cystic Fibrosis sufferers in Northamptonshire need, as well as raise awareness in the area. It will also help us to provide information, support and the necessary treatment to families in Northamptonshire and ensure that young people get the appropriate clinical care. “We very much look forward to engaging Opus employees in lots of fundraising opportunities, events and campaigns throughout the year to ensure they put the 'fun' into fundraising.” Over the past two years, Opus employees have held a number of fundraising activities to succeed in raising over £20,000 for the Friends of Cynthia Spencer Hospice and the NSPCC. -ENDS- Notes to editors For more information on Opus Energy’s pledge to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Opus Energy’s community lead fundraising initiatives, visit www.opusenergychallenge.com. For press enquiries, please contact: Leo Wood / Nicole Sharp FD T. 0207 269 7137 / 7258 E. leo.wood@fd.com / Nicole.sharp@fd.com About Opus Energy Opus Energy is a leading independent supplier of electricity and gas to UK businesses. With offices in Northampton and Oxford, Opus Energy employs over 230 people. Opus Energy supplies over 60,000 UK business sites across all sectors. Large customers include: Stagecoach, Thorntons, Farmfoods, FirstGroup, and John Lewis. Opus Energy’s management team has a 50 per cent stake in the business, while International Power Plc (LSE:IPR.L) holds 30 per cent and Telecom Plus Plc (LSE: TEP.L ) has 20 per cent. For further information about Opus Energy, please see www.opusenergy.com About Cystic Fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus, making it hard to breathe and digest food. There are over 8,500 people in the UK with it and over 2 million carrying the faulty gene that causes the disease; that’s around 1 in 25 of the population. This means if two carriers have a child, the baby has a 1 in 4 chance of having Cystic Fibrosis.* * SOURCE: Cystic Fibrosis Trust www.cftrust.org.uk
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