Whitley Bay Big Local receives £11,781.50 of grant funding from the Northern Powergrid Foundation to support local residents with measures to improve energy efficiency in their homes and aim to reduce energy costs. 

Running on the second Saturday of every month the volunteer team at Whitley Bay Big Local have created the ‘Energy Cafe’ from inside their Whitley Bay Hub which is located centrally within the town. This initiative gives residents the opportunity to speak with a volunteer advisor to get advice on the following: 

• Energy efficiency upgrades 

• Keeping your house warm 

• Financial support for energy costs 

The energy café provides informal support and local residents are invited to drop in between 10:00-13:00 in order to speak with an advisor. The initiative also runs alongside a ‘Fix-it café’ where people can bring broken household items such as small electricals, toys and soft furnishings for repair free of charge.  

The funding has enabled the initiative to create a 26 page full colour resource booklet for individuals who access the café provision. The booklet contains useful information on; Energy Bills and EPCs, energy efficiency DIY, retrofit and insulation, behavioural changes and where to get support 

David Carnaffan who runs the centre at Whitley Bay Big Local and was responsible for applying for the grant said ‘We are really grateful for the funding, it has enabled us to create an offer for local residents of Whitley Bay which will help have a long term impact on people’s energy usage and a reduction in the carbon footprint of the local area’ 

David added further ‘We see this as a long term solution to support our local community and will continue to offer this service to the residents’  

The Challenge for Whitley Bay residents

The challenge for Whitley Bay Big Local was offering a service which provided tailored support for residents with the aim of creating long term sustainable changes within the town. 

The Solution for Whitley Bay residents

The team at Whitley Bay Big Local identified that an informal approach was required and those residents who required advice and guidance would come forward for support. The energy café provides a safe comfortable environment for people to engage in open discussion. 

Support from the Northern Powergrid Foundation

The Northern Powergrid Foundation supported the community project with £11,781.50 to deliver their energy efficiency project.

More about the Northern Powergrid Foundation

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 communities most affected by changes in the economy, environment, and society due to the shifting energy landscape. This is achieved by supporting projects focused on tackling energy resilience during emergency events, vulnerability, fuel poverty, levelling the rural divide, innovation, social support, and community collaboration. Funds are available to support communities across the North East, Yorkshire, and northern Lincolnshire served by Northern Powergrid.