£500 award from NEA Warm Homes Campaign
On a cold night in December Dr Brenda Boardman, a leading researcher on fuel poverty at Oxford University, took up an invitation by Wood U Waste to come to Stroud for a key talk as part of the National Warm Homes Campaign 2011.
Thanks to funding from National Energy Action, Dr Boardman joined a number of other speakers including Kaye Welfare from the Severn Wye Energy Agency (SWEA), local MP Neil Carmichael and 30 guests to discuss the growing problem of fuel poverty.
Her message was clear. In order for the government to meet its target of eradicating fuel poverty by 2016 and to meet its carbon emissions reduction targets by 2050, we need to radically eco-renovate our older housing stock in vast numbers every year.
NEA Sustainable World Award
NEA Sustainable World Award with David Kidney
In September 2009, Wood U Waste was judged the ‘Best in Britain’ by leading fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA) www.nea.org.uk, beating tens of other nationally-based projects to win the Affordable Warmth – Sustainable World Award and a cheque for £5,000.
“The Briquette Project has succeeded in bringing together poeple from around the community in the fight against fuel poverty. Not only does it show a practical side with the distribution of briqettes to be used alongside coal or wood for heat, but the community links the project is creating has ensured its success in and around Stroud.”
Maria Wardrobe, Director of Communications and competition judge for NEA
Our win even appeared on the BBC news website on December 2nd 2009
NEA Warm homes Campaign Award Scheme
NEA Warm homes Campaign Award Scheme
In November 2009 Wood U Waste won an additional award of £500 in the NEA Warm homes Campaign Award Scheme to host a briquette BBQ for its community partners and recipients. Stroud MP at the time, David Drew, came along to join us.
Despite the rain, our guests enjoyed food cooked (under cover!) on a BBQ fuelled by briquettes and gathered around a huge briquette Christmas tree decorated with tinsel and lights. After the BBQ event, over 200 bags of briquettes were delivered for free to elderly and vulnerable recipients around the district in time for Christmas.