The sun shines to keep Shropshire warm

This winter, over 800 residents in Shropshire have tackled the issue of fuel poverty with the help of a new county-wide initiative ‘Keep Shropshire Warm’.

The initiative, a partnership of all local authorities in the county and managed by the Marches Energy Agencies ActionHeat team, offers free and discounted insulation to all owner occupiers or private renting tenants, saving those households already helped approximately £120 each.

Keep Shropshire Warm’s insulation offer is still open and they have also now teamed up with the Government’s WarmFront team to offer the chance of free solar water heating to two eligible households.

Steve Winmill, Keep Shropshire Warm manager, said: “Heating hot water using the sun can save up to 60 per cent on a households fuel bills, reducing the amount a dwelling spends by approximately £100 per year. This is a fantastic offer but is limited initially to two households. This will be a pilot scheme with the chance of continued funding for solar panels coming in the near future.”

To qualify for the chance to benefit from the free installation, people must live in an off gas grid area and be in receipt of any disability benefits or some income related benefits. To register their interest people can contact the ActionHeat team on 01743 277123 and quote KSW solar.

Keep Shropshire Warm, in conjunction with WarmFront also offers grants of between £2700 and £4000 for heating to households in receipt of a benefit. For more information people can contact the ActionHeat team on 01743 277123 or email them at info@keepshropshirewarm.org.

2 April 2008