For those that are off the gas grid and heat your homes with oil CCB promotes the use of oil clubs to come together with your community and use your bulk purchasing power to reduce the cost of ordering oil, as well as the amount of tankers that are on our roads delivering it.

For those homes that don’t have a local oil club we launched the CCB Oil Club in partnership with Oil Fuel Poverty Scheme (OFPS) in 2012 so that all homes in Berkshire can benefit from group buying.

In the last quarter (July – September 2021) our members saved themselves in total over £1100. We always recommend toping up our tank NOW or as soon as possible before we head into the winter months and the demand, and therefore the price, soars.

If you’d like to know more about our club please click here: https://ccberks.org.uk/our-projects/ccb-oil-club/

Written by our Energy Adviser and Project Co-ordinator Helen Dean.

From last Friday (8/10/21), households across the UK will see a 12% increase in the energy price cap that providers can charge. This rise will push more households into fuel poverty. Also, those being switched to new suppliers after their supplier has gone bust, will typically see a £30 a month increase in their bills.

It’s a bleak outlook – the support and advice I give through CCC’s Family Home Energy Education & Advice Project is needed more than ever. Many are fearful as huge rises in home energy costs are predicted for 2022.

One thing that low-income families with young children, or those with an illness/disability can do NOW is claim the Warm Home Discount of £140 from their electricity supplier. Rules vary between supplier, so check it out – https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

If you are a practitioner in Berkshire and work with low income families who need advice on energy bills please contact Helen.Dean@ccberks.org.uk

Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has published the first Berkshire Net Zero Carbon Research Report, sharing the first in a series of priorities that will ensure that Berkshire plays a leading role in the UK’s drive to net zero carbon emissions. This means communities working together to put no more carbon into the atmosphere than it takes out and is key to help secure a sustainable future for the planet. 

The launch of the report was marked by an event at Newbury College’s new Renewables Centre, where the UK’s first 100% electric coach made a stop on its Zero Carbon Tour journey through the UK to COP26 (the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference). The Tour is accelerating the UN-backed Race to Zero as part of the UK’s #TogetherForOurPlanet campaign, and provided the ideal opportunity to showcase how Berkshire is leading the global green agenda on a local level.

Green light for Berkshire to meet climate challenge

Thames Valley Berkshire LEP commissioned sustainability consultancy Bioregional to research and deliver the independent, in-depth report of how Berkshire’s six local authorities are responding to the net zero challenge. The report celebrates the positive steps that have already been taken across the area, which includes extensive green public transport projects and progressive policies for the rollout of Electric Vehicles. However, the review also highlights areas where greater focus is needed to help the area secure its green future.

To read the rest of this article and the full report please click here.

For the lifeblood of British communities in the UK, there are more than 10,000 village, church and community halls or centres, each run and supported by incredible groups of volunteers. Village Halls are not simply places for social and physical activities, often they are the lifeblood of local communities and a real lifeline for people of all ages, offering essential services and at times emergency facilities. As such they’re a critical part of the national infrastructure.

Yet strangely, and despite the growing popularity of podcasts in the UK, there was nothing on offer to those who run, provide support or are involved closely with village halls. That is until now!

Link to listen; https://thevillagehallspodcast.com/episodes/

Kindly sponsored by Allied Westminster, the idea behind The Village Halls Podcast is to develop a listening community for Britain’s village, church and community halls and anyone interested in the vital community services they provide. At least twice a month we release a new episode, featuring different guests, each with useful information and interesting stories to share.Our podcast is not just for you, it’s about you – the people behind Britain’s fabulous network of Village Halls – so we would really love to hear from you. Please contact us or get in touch through our Facebook or Twitter pages and tell us your stories. Feed in your ideas for future episodes, what YOU want to hear about. We want to hear what you’re up to, what kind of successes and challenges you’re facing and of course, why not come on the show and be a guest and share what you know?