Over the past year, the team of Energy Advisers at Community Action Northumberland (CAN) have been working hard to reach households across rural Northumberland, to help residents stay warmer and reduce their energy expenses.

The ‘Energy Advice in Rural Northumberland’ (EARN) project, funded by Ofgem through the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme, has been an astounding success, surpassing all targets.

The team has implemented simple measures to enhance the energy efficiency of homes, assisted with metering and billing issues, accessed financial help and grants for substantial home improvements, and encouraged residents to adopt more energy-efficient habits.

Throughout the project, they attended 55 community events, engaging with over 1,000 residents, provided advice via phone or email to over 1,000 individuals, and completed 225 home visits. Additionally, they conducted one-to-one workshops with almost 385 people and trained 77 volunteers to become energy agents within their local communities.

In total, the project has provided advice and support to over 2,100 households across the county. The team distributed 2,177 small measures, resulting in an estimated £236,000 in annual energy savings.

This remarkable achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team.

The energy team will continue to operate throughout Northumberland, offering advice and support on energy efficiency and renewables, helping to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions further. For information about the new Lottery-funded project, visit Climate Action in Rural North East.
https://ca-north.org.uk/promoting-rural-issues/climate-action-in-rural-north-east