EAS secured funding from OVO through the Industry Initiatives strand of the Warm Home Discount obligation and is using this to support people who are finding it hard to stay warm at home because of cancer.
EAS is working with THAW in the Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands Council to deliver the ABC project.
In the Orkney Islands, THAW works with key agencies such as Macmillan Cancer Support and CLAN Cancer Support. Clients in Orkney are offered a range of energy efficient white goods enabling them to cut down on their energy costs.
In the Shetland Islands, Shetland Islands Council works with Macmillan and CLAN to provide a similar service.
In Shetland, the ABC project enables the provision of new heating systems/replacement boilers/hot water systems and a range of energy efficient white goods for vulnerable people – all with a cancer diagnosis – most of whom are not eligible for support from other schemes. Home visits are also undertaken to provide energy efficiency advice to all clients.
Project work can include:
- Supplying energy efficient heating where the home has no central heating or has an old, inefficient heating system
- Replacing broken or energy inefficient white goods with highly energy efficient white goods as needed
- Supplying highly energy efficient white goods where these do not exist, eg fridge/freezers and tumble dryers/washer-dryers
People are also offered tailored energy advice to ensure optimum use of their new heating and reduced energy costs/improved comfort levels.
Often for those with cancer, energy bills rise as patients remain at home during treatment and recovery (often meaning that their income levels fall too), as well as the physiological effects of cancer requiring that they stay warmer. ABC provides a practical means of ensuring that at a particularly stressful time, energy bills and keeping warm are one less thing for cancer patients and their families to worry about.
The ABC project is due to close at the end of April 2022.