Climate group to launch campaign to help struggling families stay warm this winter
A climate action group is turning its attention to the cost of heating homes as autumn temperatures begin to bite.
Members of Market Drayton Climate Action (MDCA) will be launching their United for Warm Homes campaign at the Ginger and Spice Festival on Saturday.
They are looking to support residents facing the cost of living crisis, while also considering the impact high levels of carbon emissions have on the planet.
Group member Nancy Stewart said: "People in Market Drayton and across the UK are paying sky-high energy bills and feeling the brunt of living in poorly insulated homes.
"But the solutions already exist. That’s why we are campaigning to reduce costs, and save energy and protect our climate."
The group will be welcoming expert advice on home energy savings from the Marches Energy Agency (MEA) which will bring its Retrofit Roadshow to the festival.
Visitors to the Retrofit Roadshow will find helpful information on adding energy-saving features to homes that were built without high standard insulation and glazing, and other ways to keep heat in.
The exhibition includes a continuous PowerPoint retrofit slideshow, samples of insulation and other retrofit materials, as well as the latest information on grants and help for struggling households.
The Market Drayton group has a number of activities planned in the campaign, including inviting local groups and individuals to contribute a square for a Warm Homes Community Quilt.
It will be holding an information evening in November, and offering free thermal imaging of local homes to spot areas where heat is being lost.
MDCA is joining with groups all around the country in the United for Warm Homes campaign, which is calling for financial help for families in fuel poverty, a government-funded programme to heat homes and to end the need for gas by moving to a renewable energy system.
"Insulation is the cheapest and quickest way to permanently lower all of our bills, because it helps trap warmth inside and so reduces the amount of energy we need in the first place," Ms Stewart said.
"But because of the cost, many of us can’t make the necessary changes on our own. We are calling for a programme led by local councils to insulate homes, starting with the areas in greatest fuel poverty.
"By switching to renewables, the UK can move beyond dirty, expensive gas and become a country powered by homegrown renewable energy.
"This will not only help the planet but also bring down our energy bills and ensure everyone can afford to live in warm homes that don’t cost the Earth."
