Horncastle and Hemingby community groups set to receive funding boosts

The latest round of National Grid’s Community Matters fund will see £2.5 million shared among grassroots organisations committed to tackling fuel poverty.

One of these is Horncastle-based Age UK Lindsey, which has been awarded £10,000 to deliver warm packs and energy advice to vulnerable households in the Lindsey districts of Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire.

Andrew Storer, chief executive of Age UK Lindsey commented: “The grant from the Community Matters Fund will make such a difference to the essential support and help we are able to offer older people in local communities.

"This winter many people will be struggling to pay their bills and heat their homes. This should not be the case, and we want to provide direct help to vulnerable older people in our area, many of whom will face very difficult decisions about whether to keep their homes warm or pay for other essentials, such as food and rent.

We would like to say a huge thank you to National Grid Electricity Distribution for their support and generosity.”

Another group to benefit is Hemingby Village Hall Committee, which has been awarded £4,650 to offer a warm space, hot drinks and heated blankets to older people in Hemingby who are struggling to keep warm.

Doug Rodwell from the Hemingby Village Hall Committee commented: “The difference that this funding will make will contribute to more than just improving lives through additional heating and saving money, as important as that is.

"It also gives us the opportunity to reach our community in a positive way - improving lives through community engagement and connecting with residents in a positive way.

"We would like to say a big thank you to the National Grid Electricity Distribution for making this possible.”

In all, around 300 grassroots organisations will benefit from the latest round of funding across the Midlands, South West and South Wales. Earlier this year, more than 100 local groups received crucial fuel poverty grants after making successful applications to the fund.

This time, applicants will also have access to a range of free training and energy efficiency advice materials which they can customise and share with their communities, to support planned or existing projects.

The Community Matters Fund is part of National Grid’s distribution Business Plan pledge to support vulnerable customers. This includes a commitment to support 113,000 customers to

make energy savings of £60 million over five years and to extend the reach of its Priority Services Register, which provides tailored support to vulnerable customers.