Big Energy Saving Week (BESW) is taking place between 27-31 January 2014. It aims to make sure that people have access to advice and information about reducing their energy bills - by changing tariff or energy provider to get the best deal; insulating their homes properly; and making better use of energy in general.
The Consumerhub initiative was set up at Cambridge CAB to make sure that people in the region get the right advice about important consumer issues, and for BESW it is coordinating activities across the East of England to raise awareness of ways to save energy. Its partners include all CABs and Trading Standards in the Eastern region, and organisations such as Climate Energy, Libraries, Neighbourhood Watch and Cambridgeshire Police. Although BESW week itself is in January, various energy-saving activities will take place throughout the winter.
Kate Flannery at Cambridge CAB said, “We all know what an important topic this is, and how so many of our clients, and prospective clients, are affected by recent announcements of upcoming energy price increases. 16% of Cambridge residents now live in fuel poverty. Over the last five years living costs have risen by 25%, causing many low-income families and those facing unemployment to forfeit meals in order to heat their homes. It’s really important that people get the right kind of advice and information about reducing their energy bills to help them keep themselves and their families warm this winter.”
Members of the public can help raise awareness of BESW and Check. Switch. Insulate in a number of ways:
- Visit our stand in Cambridge Central Library between 27 January-1 February for lots of information on cutting fuel bills and help getting the financial support they are entitled to.
- Pick up one of our leaflets or booklets at various locations around Cambridgeshire, including Cambridge CAB, and pass it on to someone who is struggling with energy bills.
- Blog, tweet and post about BESW on social media (the hashtag is #besw14 and our handle is @CambridgeCAB).
- Direct friends and family to www.bigenergysavingweek.org.uk
CHRISTMAS APPEAL
Cambridge CAB is running a Christmas Appeal to raise money for the City Foodbank, which is now giving help with energy costs as well as food parcels. We are asking prosperous Cambridge pensioners to consider donating their winter fuel allowance to help neighbours living in fuel poverty
this Christmas.
Well-off Cambridge pensioners who choose to donate their winter fuel allowance to Cambridge City Foodbank will give the gift of a warm Christmas to other local people; tax payer donations gain a further 25% from the government under Gift Aid, making contributions potentially worth £250 or £375. Every penny donated will go to help people in genuine need.
A foodbank supporter commented, “I am a pensioner who is in the very lucky position of spending less each month than comes in. There are so many people in this city whose bills are skyrocketing while their income is going down, and they are really suffering. The same winter fuel allowance is given to millionaires, people on state benefits, and those of us in between: I feel sure that others like me who can afford it, will be willing to give their winter fuel allowance to the foodbank.”
For more information, please visit our website: http://about.cambridgecab.org.uk/campaigning
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