Delivering energy advice in the community

Community organisations are well placed to provide trusted information and advice on energy in the community to support local residents to reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions in their homes. This session will introduce why community-led energy advice and support is needed to tackle barriers to engagement, and support underserved and fuel poor communities as well as able-to-pay households. The session will cover examples of energy advice activities, considerations and challenges to be aware of and options for funding and support. We will also hear from two guest speakers about their experiences of providing energy advice in their communities:

Rhian Williams from Y Dref Werdd

As a third sector organisation in North Wales, Y Dref Werdd has been around for about ten years. It started as an environmental organisation, trying to get volunteers to go out and help tackle invasive species, but it was clear that the community weren’t going to volunteer, if they didn’t have a warm home and food on the table. Here is where they tackled food and fuel poverty, and became a drop-in hub for help with everything to make people more energy efficient, and helping with bills, benefits and all kinds of wellbeing.

Wendy Clegg from Sustainable Clevedon

Wendy is a member of Sustainable Clevedon, a local group working together to make Clevedon a confident, thriving and self-reliant community. Since 2018, she has also worked with the Clevedon Emergency Working Group, attached to Clevedon Town Council and now developed into Clevedon's Climate and Nature Partnership. This has involved developing Energy days, Green Open Homes, training sessions, Great Big Green Week events, putting up displays at their local library and running a stall at their local weekly market, giving away draught proofing and talking to the community. She is also a Climate Ambassador for the Women’s Institute, which involves passing on information to her group and others and also working in the local community.

This session will be followed by a reflective session on 2nd December. Attendees will be given registration details for this after the session.