Welwick Parish Hall: Building Resilience Through Renewable Energy

In the small East Yorkshire village of Welwick, the parish hall sits at the heart of community life. Serving a population of just over 300 people, many of whom are older residents, the hall hosts coffee mornings, craft groups, indoor bowls, quizzes, fundraising events, warm space activities and a range of social gatherings. For many residents, it provides an important opportunity to stay connected and reduce social isolation. 

However, rising energy costs and frequent power interruptions were creating challenges for the hall's trustees. As the designated safe and warm space within the village's emergency plan, the hall needed to remain operational during power cuts while keeping running costs affordable. 

With support from the Northern Powergrid Foundation's Energy Resilience Fund, Welwick Parish Hall was awarded £15,990.85 to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, battery storage and backup technology. The project formed part of a wider decarbonisation programme designed to secure the long-term future of the community facility.

Strengthening Community Resilience

The inspiration for the project came after a prolonged power outage in December 2024, which lasted around 15 hours. During the outage, the hall was unable to function effectively as a warm space because heating, lighting and kitchen facilities were unavailable. Trustees recognised the need for greater energy independence to support residents during future emergencies.

The completed project has transformed the hall's resilience. Since installation, the solar and battery system has enabled the building to operate independently from the grid. During a planned power cut, the hall successfully continued hosting a community coffee morning using stored power, demonstrating its ability to remain open when local residents need it most. 

The Parish Council has now formally designated the hall as a safe warm place within its emergency response arrangements, providing additional reassurance for vulnerable residents during severe weather and power outages. 

Reducing Costs and Carbon Emissions

The project funded the installation of 26 solar panels, a Sigenergy inverter, 10kW battery storage and backup gateway technology. 

The impact has been immediate. Within the first months of operation, the system generated more than 4.4 MWh of electricity, allowing the hall to avoid purchasing electricity from the grid. The hall has also exported surplus renewable energy, creating the potential for future income generation once export metering arrangements are fully in place. 

By generating clean energy on-site, the project has already helped reduce carbon emissions by approximately 2.1 tonnes while supporting the hall's wider ambition to achieve long-term sustainability. Trustees estimate the wider decarbonisation programme could save around 2.9 tonnes of CO₂ annually and reduce energy costs by approximately £3,300 per year. 

Creating a Warmer Community Hub

One of the most significant benefits has been the ability to keep the hall warmer and more comfortable for users. Using the renewable electricity generated on-site, trustees have introduced electric heating solutions that help maintain a welcoming environment without significantly increasing costs. 

This is particularly important in a village where many residents are older people and where the hall plays a central role in tackling loneliness and supporting community wellbeing. The improved financial sustainability of the building means trustees can continue offering affordable activities and explore opportunities to expand their programme of events in the future. 

Project lead, Gerard Hailwood, said; 

‘Two years ago we were very concerned about our ability to offer our range of events due to increasing costs. This grant and the installation has reduced our electricity costs to practically zero and also given us a very useful income stream. We are also very pleased to be able to contribute to ‘Net Zero’. Many thanks to Northern Powergrid foundation and the very helpful team there. ''

Inspiring Others

Situated in a prominent location in the village, the visible installation of solar panels is helping raise awareness of renewable energy and encouraging conversations about sustainability. Trustees hope the project will inspire residents to consider their own energy-saving measures while demonstrating that community buildings can play a leading role in the transition to net zero.