Community Energy Plus News

Statistics show the cold reality of fuel poverty in Cornwall

Posted on Tuesday, July 4th, 2017

The plight of thousands of households in Cornwall struggling with the costs of keeping warm has been highlighted by the publication of the government’s latest fuel poverty statistics. They show that over 34,000 households are thought to be in fuel poverty in the duchy, which is 14.2% of Cornish homes. The figures for Cornwall are as bad as levels seen in colder parts of the country such as the North East and West Midlands. Within some communities across Cornwall the …

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Cooking up energy savings in Four Lanes

Posted on Monday, February 20th, 2017

A lesson on eating well on a budget and saving energy around the home has recently provided food for thought at Pencoys Primary School in Four Lanes. 24 families and their children enjoyed a slow cooking workshop designed to encourage families to cook and save energy together. The workshop was part of a pioneering project being led by the Truro-based energy charity Community Energy Plus. Last year the charity received national recognition in the Energy Impact Awards for the achievements …

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Event held to help householders cut their energy bills

Posted on Monday, February 20th, 2017

Visitors to Helston’s Open Door Café were given advice to help them to take control of their energy bills at an event to mark National Fuel Poverty Awareness Day on Friday 17th February. Cornish charity Community Energy Plus joined forces with the Helston and Lizard Food Bank to host a drop-in event for local residents to find out about grants and initiatives which can help them to enjoy warmer homes, tariff switching and advice on how to save energy and …

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Can you afford another £55 on your energy bill this year?

Posted on Monday, January 9th, 2017

Tens of thousands of Cornish households could be in for a nasty shock this month when they receive their January energy bills. Rising wholesale electricity and gas costs threaten to push the cost of the average duel fuel bill up by as much as 5 per cent, which is £55[1] on an average bill, according to the Truro based charity Community Energy Plus. The charity estimates that two-thirds of households in Cornwall, about 175,000[2], are unnecessarily boosting the profits of …

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Strong demand for Smart Warmth project

Posted on Monday, January 9th, 2017

Cornish householders living with health conditions made worse by cold homes are being urged not to suffer in silence this winter. The local energy charity Community Energy Plus is in its final two months of delivering a project which has already provided advice to over 3,000 people who were struggling to heat their homes. As the latest blast of cold weather hits the county, the charity are expecting to handle an increased number of calls from people who are struggling …

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Making homes warmer in Truro and Falmouth – experts meet with to discuss new report with Sarah Newton MP

Posted on Wednesday, November 9th, 2016

With the launch of a new report into the energy performance of homes and businesses in Truro and Falmouth, local MP Sarah Newton, Cornwall Council and local organisations have come together to discuss what has worked to date and what remains to be done. As people begin to turn up their heating, a new report by the Association for the Conservation of Energy has shone a spotlight on the energy performance of homes and businesses in Truro and Falmouth. The …

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Keeping your home warm as the cold weather arrives

Posted on Monday, November 7th, 2016

With the night’s drawing in and temperatures dropping, residents are being urged to think about how to keep their homes warm and safe over winter. Today sees the launch of the winter wellbeing programme which gives residents advice and practical help. Advice is available on insulation, switching energy tariffs to save money, emergency funds for vulnerable people who can’t afford to heat homes and support to help people help themselves by getting back into employment.   Over 30 partners are …

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Community Energy Plus wins national award helping families to save money

Posted on Thursday, September 29th, 2016

Community Energy Plus are celebrating after their project was named runner-up in the national award scheme the Energy Impact Awards, beating more than 70 competing entries. The Energy Impact Awards, run by leading fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA) in partnership with British Gas, recognise best practice amongst agencies carrying out work that focuses on energy projects tackling fuel poverty by benefiting vulnerable people in the local area. Community Energy Plus has been awarded a £7,500 grant which is …

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Image: Energy Advisors Adrian Ankers and Jenny Hannam

Buying together cuts almost £500k from Cornish energy bills

Posted on Thursday, September 22nd, 2016

Cornish householders are being urged to take action to stop energy suppliers getting rich at their expense by joining Cornwall’s collective energy switch to access cheaper energy for one and all this autumn. Registration for Community Energy Switch’s autumn collective switch is now open and householders have until 31st October to register their interest, with no obligation to switch, at www.communityenergyswitch.org.uk or by calling Freephone 0800 954 1956. Community Energy Plus, the Truro-based energy charity behind the energy switching initiative, is …

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Slow cooking project cuts energy bills of Cornish families

Posted on Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

611 low income families in Cornwall have taken action to save energy and money through an innovative energy efficiency project based around slow cooking workshops. Over the past year, the local energy charity Community Energy Plus has delivered slow cooking workshops across the length and breadth of the county. The focus on energy efficient cooking has provided a stepping stone to encourage people to learn about ways to save energy throughout the home and highlight how lots of small changes …

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