Feel the Heat Winners
FIRST PRIZE
Menter Cwm Gwendraeth
"Raising Awareness among Pensioners in Gwendraeth"
This project will support the Zero Carbon Communities Officer to run an awareness information campaign on energy efficiency and its impact on fuel poverty to pensioners in the Gwendraeth area in preparation for winter. The officer will use local press and media and will also visit older people's social groups, ensuring that information is delivered locally through the language that the pensioners are most comfortable with. The final aspect of the project is production and distribution of an information booklet to give a local perspective on the challenges of fuel poverty.
SECOND PRIZE
Communities First, Thornhill
"Community champions to encourage more people to get help"
This project will identify individuals who have received benefits advice to act as community champions. The champions will use their positive experience to encourage friends and neighbours to use the service and will act as a friendly, trustworthy individual able to ‘handhold' friends and neighbours, who may be vulnerable, through the process. The community champions will be key in using their knowledge of the community to ensure vulnerable and housebound people are helped to access the service. Although they will not give advice, the champions will receive training to improve their skills on household budgeting; this will also improve their skills level and employability. The project will also link in with the Drama Loan Guarantee Fund which underwrites Credit Union loans and can also be used for housing related expenses.
THIRD PRIZE
West Wales Eco Centre
"Keep Well this Winter Roadshow Bus"
Denbighshire Care & Repair, the Pension Service, North Wales Energy Advice Centre and North Wales Fire Service will take the specially equipped Pension Service bus around various locations in Denbighshire to target pensioners with advice and guidance about achieving affordable heating, energy efficiency, benefits entitlement and other services. Grant referrals and benefits applications can be made on the spot. The project will look to generate publicity prior to the roadshows and to give out energy related gifts to attract interest.
Feel the Heat 2 follows the success of Feel the Heat 2008 and will directly support The Welsh Assembly Government Fuel Poverty Commitment by providing grant aid to local initiatives that provide solutions to fuel poverty targeted at vulnerable groups. In doing so, it will highlight examples of good practice undertaken by local authorities, health and social care agencies, voluntary and statutory agencies and community groups.
The scheme will continue to be supported by SWALEC and the Welsh Assembly Government but will add eaga as a new sponsor this year. Projects applying for the awards will need to demonstrate achievement in one of the following areas:
- Developing sustainable solutions to affordable warmth for vulnerable groups in rural areas
- Delivering or developing tailored joined-up advice services for hard to reach groups
- Appointment of fuel poverty/energy community champions in Communities First areas.
One successful organisation/partnership will receive an award of £4000 and two runners-up will receive awards of £2000 and £1000 to help deliver or develop their initiative between June and December 2009.
For more information on Feel the Heat 2, please contact claire.henderson@nea.org.uk.
The final report of the 2009 Award Scheme, Are You Feeling the Heat, can be downloaded here.
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