Ellesmere Port charity benefits from safety record at Essar Stanlow

A major safety achievement at the Stanlow Refinery saw a £3,000 donation to The Oscar Phillips Foundation last week. The Let’s Give programme links safety milestones and charitable giving, with nominations made by employees and Business Partners who have had personal involvement with the organisation.

To commemorate the safety landmark of an outstanding six million hours without a Lost Time Injury at Stanlow, Supervisor for Hertel, Ilario Giansante nominated the Ellesmere Port based Oscar Philips Foundation.

Ilario’s wife, Carmel Giansante has worked relentlessly to form the charity over the past two years following the death of her son Oscar, who took his own life aged just sixteen years old.

The Oscar Philips Foundation works closely with schools in the area to raise awareness through workshops on the subject of emotional well-being for young people.

Carmel explains: “We are linking up with local schools to educate young people on the importance of mental and emotional health. This is being done through providing books, inspirational speakers visiting schools, as well as opportunities for students to visit the Jean Little Counselling School and learn important life skills.

“These valuable insights will hopefully teach those involved that there are safe places you can go to for support, as well as some essential self-help techniques to help combat stress.

“We are delighted that Essar chose The Oscar Phillips Foundation as the latest charity to benefit from the Let’s Give scheme. Not only have the employees saved their own lives by listening at the safety meetings, and applying the safety at work ethics to every hour of every day, with this donation they are playing an active role in educating our younger generation on how to protect themselves and each-other on their emotional well-being; saving lives through suicide awareness.”