My Cornish World: Marie Hand

M Y CORNISH WORLD M Y CORNISH WORLD

Marie Hand, 51, lives in Portreath. She has worked for Kensa Heat Pumps in Chacewater for 15 years, and was one of 10 Everyday Climate Heroes to be shot by top photographer Rankin ahead of the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

“I wanted to highlight the extraordinary change being made by ordinary people within their local communities and to the environment,” said Rankin. “This project takes the spotlight away from the world leaders and places it on the people that make up our nation. We all have a part to play in tackling the climate crisis, and now is that time.”

Hi Marie! What an amazing opportunity you’ve had. Tell us how it came about. I started working for Kensa in 2006, on the shop floor. I’m now factory supervisor, with an amazing team of 22; I oversee production from being built to getting out the door. About a month ago, Laura from marketing told me the company wanted to nominate me as a climate hero. I was taken aback – it was such a privilege. I guess they chose me because I’d worked for the company for so long, in all aspects of the product - electrics, assembly, testing; I’m hands-on, and have a passion for what we do.

What was it like to be photographed by a man who shoots celebrities? It was an honour to be shot by Rankin. He’s unbelievably talented, but made me feel very relaxed. They did my clothes, hair and make-up. It was the experience of a lifetime. I'd never been to London before, and was amazed at how busy it was on a Monday evening. I took my daughter, and we visited Chinatown – I loved it.

What happened to your portrait afterwards? It was displayed at 1,000 sites across the UK during the COP26 conference last month. Kensa’s MD and one of the directors went to London, and saw my face on a billboard at a railway station. It’s pretty surreal. I would love to see it in person and take a selfie.

You must be busy at work right now Yes! We’ve gone from producing 120 units a month to 110 a week, and lines have doubled from two to four. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says no new fossil fuel boilers should be sold from 2025 if the world is to achieve net-zero emissions by the middle of this century. In addition, the government has incentivised switching from your existing gas boiler to a heat pump. One set of grants runs out in February, then from April 2022, another one starts. It’s wonderful that the government is putting money into making heat pumps more affordable. I do this to partly help people out of fuel poverty and hopefully give them a better life.

How does your work tie into your life in Cornwall? When I was young, the climate wasn’t really spoken about. Now, it’s all I’m speaking about to my grandchildren. I’d like my 20-month-old granddaughter to have better air and not so much pollution. I certainly don’t want her to grow up and find it’s no better. If we all do our own little bit, we can help. I recycle, I don’t eat a lot of meat and I buy environmentally friendly products. I also get involved in beach cleans in Falmouth and Perranporth. I want to make people understand that we can change this situation. It’s never too late.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I’m a healthy person. I cycle a lot – about 100 miles a week in summer, which is no mean feat in hilly Cornwall! I also walk daily and go to the gym a few times a week. My absolute favourite place is Kynance Cove. I’m a National Trust member, and I take my granddaughter to different properties on Saturdays. I love Lanhydrock, and Trelissick – which has just had its own heat pump installed by Kensa! It will supply heating and hot water to the house, café and secondhand bookshop, replacing the current oil boilers and supporting the National Trust’s aim to be carbon neutral by 2030. l

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