The Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy (WWCE) solar enterprise is to return for a second year.
The annoiuncement about the non-profit comes as studies show over 3m people across the UK are now in debt to their energy suppliers.
The Keeping Warm This Winter pop-up programme helped more than 360 Wiltshire residents last winter, prompting the group to expand the initiative as the energy crisis continues.
Developed by WWCE’s carbon reduction champion Jessica Thimbleby, Keeping Warm This Winter is a community engagement initiative designed to deliver targeted advice to people who may be struggling with fuel costs.
The programme has been recognised by Community Energy England with a nomination for its national Fuel Poverty Action award and attracted the attention of MP and Secretary of State Michelle Donelan.
During pop-up ‘cafes’, Jessica will provide tips and advice around how to reduce household carbon emissions and save money by cutting down on energy use.
She is also able to make referrals to the Warm and Safe Wiltshire service for further support, signposting those who may be eligible for emergency help or grants to allow them to install longer-term energy efficiency measures, including insulation or a more efficient boiler.
Julian Barlow Chair of WWCE said, “As a community organisation, one of WWCE’s core objectives is to deliver local benefits so I am really pleased to be announcing the return of our free-to-access energy advice service.
"As well as being Chair of WWCE I am also Parish Councillor of a small Wiltshire village, so I know how challenging last winter was for local people and how concerned many are about the prospect of another difficult season.
"It’s a shame that this kind of scheme is necessary, but I’m incredibly grateful that WWCE is in a position to help those in need.”
Jessica added: “The feedback from the groups we partnered with and the residents who attended the sessions we ran last winter was overwhelmingly positive - it’s clear that the cafes really helped people who were struggling with spiraling energy bills.
"Sadly, the landscape has not improved going into winter 2023 and we’re seeing worrying statistics around the number of people in arrears already.
"The conversations I had at our opening session certainly suggest that Wiltshire residents are worried about how they’re going to cope this year, but I’m heartened by the fact that WWCE is playing a small part in helping them to cut costs and reduce their emissions in the process.”
Further to the Keeping Warm This Winter service, WWCE has once again teamed up with the Rural Communities Energy Support Network, run by the Centre for Sustainable Energy with Wessex Community Action to enable it to reach more people across Wiltshire.
Further information, including details of sessions, can be found at www.wwce.org
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