Shared buildings including church halls and youth centres are often thought of as the beating heart of their community. With energy bills rising and many households facing the prospect of fuel poverty, more and more community buildings are expected to become a warm hub this winter, offering a comforting space for people to come together and socialise during challenging times. The problem is they’re also more likely to be older, draughty buildings which makes them more expensive to run.
Through our community benefit programme, we’re pleased to be able to support another ten shared buildings – located within 20 miles of one of our clean energy projects – with grants totalling over £30,000. With support from national energy charity, Centre for Sustainable Energy, up to £4,000 has been awarded to each of these community organisations so that they can make sustainability and energy efficiency improvements ahead of winter, including roof, window and wall insulation, double glazing and LED lighting.
“Our intention is for Easton Community Centre to act as one of the city’s warm, welcoming centres this winter, as well as a cooling centre in the summer. Affordable energy bills will be critical to us being able to welcome people into a comfortable space without having to reduce other services.” – Easton Community Centre
“The building is open to the local community and across Bristol to come and engage in creative workshops and activities. We plan to open the Media Centre during the winter as a ‘warm hub’; a place of refuge for local people who are unable to heat their own homes.” – Knowle West Media Centre
With this latest round included, we have awarded 51 grants to 43 buildings since 2016, totalling over £150,000. These improvements save over 75 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
As part of round six, we have awarded grants to:
- Eastside Community Trust – near our Feeder Road battery project in Bristol
- Birsay Community Hall – near our Sigurd wind turbine in Orkney
- Shutlanger Hall – near our Wicken battery project outside Milton Keynes
- Bridgehouse Community Association – near our wind farm in Drumduff, Scotland
- Hawkesbury Hospital Hall – near our Feeder Road battery project in Bristol
- Colne Village Hall – near our Ransonmoor wind farm in March, Cambridgeshire
- Wrentham Village Hall – near our Ness Point wind turbine in Ipswich
- Helmdon Reading Room – near our Wicken battery project outside Milton Keynes
- Knowle West Media Centre – near our Feeder Road battery project in Bristol
- Strichen Playgroup – near our Clayfords and Auchtygills wind farms in Strichen, Aberdeenshire
