Contributed by Western Power Distribution

We're delighted to once again be supporting Countryside Lincs! This is a fantastic event that involves all of the family, with so many activities and displays on show. Last year was such a great success and this year the event is going to be even bigger and better - something we are proud to be involved with!

Western Power Distribution (WPD) is the electricity distribution network operator for the Midlands, including much of Lincolnshire, from Mablethorpe to Holbeach and the city centre. We operate and maintain the network of pylons, overhead lines and underground cables in these areas and deliver electricity to more than 7.8 million customers. It is our responsibility to provide a safe and reliable supply to homes and businesses across our region.

Please do come and visit our interactive stand while you are at Countryside Lincs. We have some fun games and quizzes that everyone can try and you can also learn a bit more about electricity and how to be safe around it.

For power cuts or power cut enquiries, please call 105 or 0800 6783 105, tweet us @wpduk or visit www.westernpower.co.uk

You can find out more about Western Power Distribution on Facebook and Twitter, or find them in the Explore It Zone at Countryside Lincs on Sunday 9 April!

Ruth Adams is Education Liaison Officer for WPD and has prepared a blog for us.

WPD may not be a company that you have heard of, but is vital to our everyday lives. The company is responsible for delivering the electricity that powers homes and businesses across much of Lincolnshire, from Mablethorpe down to Sutton Bridge.

We ensure that our electricity network of pylons, cables, wires and substations deliver a safe and reliable electricity supply to over 7.8 million customers.

While electricity is important for many reasons, it also comes with serious risks if it isn’t treated with respect. This is one of the reasons why we take electricity safety so seriously. My role at WPD is to educate and inform members of the public and particularly children about how electricity works and the dangers of playing near it.  

Our stand aims to be informative, interactive and fun, offering loads of activities about electricity, testing your knowledge and answering questions that you may have – Why can birds can sit on electricity wires and not be electrocuted? Can electricity jump?  Can you be made into a human circuit?

Even our engineers are not allowed into substations without letting our control room know they’re there, and they’ve got special clothes that protect them from the electricity and have had years of training to help them stay safe.

Electricity can jump so if you are flying a kite or using a fishing rod near power lines it can jump and get you. The electricity we work with is far more powerful than the electricity in your home and can kill or badly burn you.

It’s important to have fun but it’s also important that you don’t hurt yourself.

Countryside Lincs is a fantastic event to get out and about, see, learn and explore new things. We hope that many families will come down and take part in many of the activities on show during the day. You’ll find us at the ‘Explore It Zone’ so come and say hi and meet our mascot Pylonman, have a go on our games such as the wiggly wire and human circuit, plus enter our competition for the chance to win a Kindle Fire. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you have a power cut or spot a potential danger involving some of our equipment, please call Western Power Distribution for free on 105.