Empowering Bradford: £18,285 Grant Sparks Community Resilience

Primetime at The Vine, nestled in the heart of Laisterdyke, Bradford, has received a £18,285 grant from the Northern Powergrid Foundation to supercharge its energy resilience. This funding has been used to install state-of-the-art solar panels and a cutting-edge battery system, ensuring that residents, especially the vulnerable, remain safe, warm, and supported during power interruptions.

The challenges for Laisterdyke, Bradford residents. Primetime at the Vine supports a range of vulnerable groups, including children at risk of exploitation and abuse, families struggling to afford food and heating, isolated older people, and those with mental health challenges. Working in some of the most deprived areas of Bradford, the centre adapts to local needs, offering services such as a community pantry, and training, support, and social spaces for people with some complex challenges. The winter and Christmas periods can be especially tough for their community, with increased demand for warm spaces and support services.

The solution for Laisterdyke, Bradford residents. Recognising the critical need for resilience, the community centre embarked on a resilience project, which, among other things, has seen them install 83 solar panels and a back-up battery system. This initiative provides sustainable energy solutions for the centre, reducing their running costs substantially, and the experience is being used to promote energy efficiency within the community. By creating a sustainable, energy-resilient and community owned space, they have ensured that local residents, particularly the vulnerable, have access to a safe haven during power outages, and a reliable support network on their doorsteps.

 Rosie Reay, Primetime at the Vine, expressed, "We are able to provide a sustainable source of support to the local community, leaving a legacy that will outlast us and has community ownership. Local people benefit and will continue to benefit from the reinvestment of savings into our charitable activities."

In a recent visit to the centre, she told Foundation staff of the impacts their project has already made, saying, “We have been able to use some of the learnings from our project to help not only other community centres but households too. Last Christmas, we created a code-breaker style advent calendar, which saw around 1,500 people engage with daily energy-saving tips to help them reduce their energy use without causing detriment during the most financially challenging time of the year.”

Support from the Northern Powergrid Foundation. The Northern Powergrid Foundation has supported this vital community project with a £18,285 grant. This funding went towards the solar and battery installation, and complemented funding from other grant funders for an air-source heat pump and more, paving the way for a more resilient and self-sufficient community.

A Mission to Empower Communities. The Northern Powergrid Foundation’s mission, complementing Northern Powergrid’s ambition to be a force for good in the communities it serves, is to support those most affected by changes in the economy, environment, and society due to the shifting energy landscape. By backing projects focused on energy resilience during emergency events, vulnerability, fuel poverty, levelling the rural divide, innovation, social support, and community collaboration, the Foundation aims to make a lasting impact. Funds are available to support communities across the North East, Yorkshire, and northern Lincolnshire.