Before I go into detail, a big thanks to Ørsted for hosting us at their (very cool) Grimsby Hub and organising a tour of the SOV. Also, to The Crown Estate for organising the first day trip to Projekt Renewable, and to Natural England for giving their time to attend our presentations and their feedback. The support for us interns is unmatchable, so thank you all!

Monday 16^th October:

The trip began with a visit to Projekt Renewable. The project (spelt Projekt in recognition to the Danish links Grimsby has) is an immersive educational destination that is designed to allow everyone to see and hear the opportunities that exist in the area. The North East of Lincolnshire’s future begins with the success of its young people, and this project will inspire them to see (and be inspired by) the opportunities on their doorsteps.

Adrian Askam, Projekt Director, explained the project and its significance to us. I was not only inspired by his drive to help bring about green economic regeneration of the town, but also his passion in bringing together the community within his home town of Grimsby. Thanks Adrian for sharing your project with us!

That evening we had a meal in Cleethorpes, which was the perfect opportunity to catch-up with the lovely faces that we work closely with within the internship.

Tuesday 17^th October:

The next day, we visited Ørsted’s Grimsby East Coast Hub for a morning of mid-point presentations from the Marine Futures Interns (based in Lincolnshire and Cumbria) and the Coastal Explorer Interns (based in Kent). Some staff from Ørsted, The Crown Estate, Natural England and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust were there to watch our presentations and give their feedback and any questions. A big thanks to everyone who attended and for their brilliant feedback. Feedback is crucial at this point; we can take this and apply it to our final presentations at the end of November!

We also visited the Hub’s visitor centre, which has panoramic views of the North Sea. They even have a 360° VR experience! Take a look at Sian giving it ago.

In the afternoon, we were lucky enough to go on a tour of Ørsted’s SOV (Service Operation Vessel), Wind of Hope. The job of the SOV is to home wind turbine technicians for two weeks at a time while they go out to sea to work on Hornsea Two, one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms, helping contribute to living in a world that runs entirely on green energy.

Onboard, there’s a gym, cinema room, hospital and accommodation for 90 people! A trip we’ll never forget.

Jasmine