Hello folks, as the nights draw in and Jack Frost starts to come a’ knockin’, our Community Energy Champions team have been getting busy getting out spreading the word of how to save money on your fuel bills and getting to the heart of our project.
We have run two drop-in information and training sessions: in Elgin in September and Forres in October; with Buckie Community Centre (22 November 10am – 1pm, free lunch!) and Elgin Youth Cafe (5 December 3.30 – 5.15 pm) to follow – booking advised. We cover deciphering your fuel bills and switching tariff and supplier, how much different home appliances use, different heating and hot water systems, factors in Moray that contribute to affordability of domestic fuel bills and heat loss in the home, amongst others. It’s a basic overview, nothing too complicated but extremely useful!
As well as our intrepid Community Energy Champions who’ve stayed for a good while – with the allure of a certificate, the lunch (!), goodies, a follow-up bespoke home visit and the feel-good factor of then passing on the knowledge in their community – other folk have dropped in for a wee blether and to grab loads of different handy leaflets and freebies for saving energy. So something for everyone. Want to find out more? Then come on down!
In the coming months we will be visiting organisations such as tenants groups, sheltered housing units, groups supporting the elderly and vulnerable, and community and interest groups such as Men’s Sheds to put on these sessions – do you know a group who would be interested? We are targeting Buckie, Dufftown, Elgin, Forres, Keith and Lossiemouth in the main. Please contact us.
And we’ve had tremendous fun visiting Seafield and St. Sylvester’s primary schools in Elgin, Anderson’s in Forres and Cluny in Buckie, with more schools across Moray in the pipeline. In highly interactive sessions, the children have been finding out where their energy comes from and how it links to climate change, as well as simple steps they can take to help tackle climate change and save the grown ups who pay the bills at home – and for their school! – money. Lindsey Jackson from The Moray Council and her solar-powered critters and gadgets have gone down a treat!
And lastly, while summer can now seem a distant memory, in Elgin, Buckie, Forres and Dufftown, families loved dropping in to make simple solar ovens from pizza boxes in our Summer Scorcher events when we launched the project.
We’re looking forward to the next events!
Warm wishes to you all,
Barney and Lynne
