Wednesday 10 December 2014

2015 Energy Guide Launched


https://www.scribd.com/doc/245703367/Energy-Guide-2015

For the second year running I have launched my energy guide with the aim of tackling winter poverty across Tynedale and Ponteland.

With winter upon us the battle to stay warm will soon become a real problem for many people, especially the elderly, in Tynedale.

To help constituents, I have distributed more than 16,000 Energy Guides with the latest advice and contact information for those facing a tough winter.
The booklet coincides shows the positive, practical actions people can take to control bills and save energy. Where we have not been able to deliver the booklet we have delivered it, or posted it out. Copies have also gone to key local support organisations.

I am very conscious, talking to many of my constituents, that energy costs and fuel are a real concern. There is lots of help out there, but it can sometimes be hard to find and difficult to know who to turn to. Following on from the positive reception the guide received last year I decided to do it again. The guide this year will reach even more people in the constituency, and will provide new ideas and schemes ranging from Credit Unions to Oil buying clubs.

I know the fight against fuel poverty will not be won with a single booklet. But I hope it goes some way to provide a bit of extra support and guidance for those struggling with the cost of energy. I recently met the Minister for Energy, Amber Rudd, to showcase the booklet and to discuss what help is out there for people who need it. The booklet also features a number of local organisations that people can get help with their energy needs whether it is Hexham's Centre for Green Energy for biomass or details of all the Oil Buying Clubs in Tynedale.

The booklet has already won wide support across Tynedale including support from former rector of Hexham Abbey Canon Graham Usher. Last year at the launch the domestic fuel adviser for the West Northumberland Citizens Advice Bureau, Alison Rees, said: “Help is available for those struggling to heat their homes affordably and this booklet is a useful guide for taking steps towards a warmer home."
The Energy Booklet is now online:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/245703367/Energy-Guide-2015