New Countywide initiative - 4 Ways to Warmth

The Leicestershire Rural Partnership Big Society Rural Advice Service

Telephone 0116 2662905
Fax 0116 2660153
email ruralcc@ruralcc.org.uk

Big Society: Rural Advice

The Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Community Council (RCC) is delighted to have been chosen to deliver the Leicestershire Rural Partnership (LRP) Rural Advice Service.

Funded by Leicestershire County Council the service will provide the following support to help progress Big Society initiatives in rural areas:

• Advice and guidance to communities on a range of rural issues
• Specialist advice on community consultation, action planning and project development activity
• Signposting to other organisations and support services that may be able to provide further support and advice in specialist areas

The RCC run service will include:
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• telephone and e-mail advice 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
• online resources to support your community consultation and community action planning activity
• an online network for community groups (in development)
• promotion and introduction of new initiatives that help to provide services for people in rural areas
• signposting and liaison with LRP partner organisations and other service providers on local issues, networking and the sharing of best practice
• identification and targeting of support to key priority areas and themes utilising local intelligence and information available
• promotion of Leicestershire villages websites
• an annual event for local community groups to showcase good practice and new initiatives.
• FREE places will be available on session 1 of the RCC Community led planning training course (subject to agreement)

In addition to the support provided by the rural advice service the RCC will offer the following additional support to RCC members
An enhanced level of support for communities registered and paid up as RCC members to include
- Access to searchable database of funding sources
- Out of hours telephone support service (5 – 9 p.m Mon - Thurs))
- Access to community buildings members area on RCC website
- Access to training courses at a reduced cost

Rural Advice Service Toolkits

Community led Planning Toolkit

Community Welcome Pack Toolkit

Writing a Press Release

Funding sources

Links To Partner Websites

Volunteer Energy Champions
The RCC is recruiting volunteer Energy Chamions to help them to spread the word about help available to those suffering Fuel Poverty and anyone wanting to save on energy bills.

The rural community energy champion role
Anyone can become a rural energy champion as long as they have contact with people within their local community either as neighbours, family and friends and/or as a member of a local voluntary group, sports club, faith organisation etc. We are particularly keen to recruit champions who come into contact with those on low incomes, the elderly, those with young children and/or those living with disabilities or long-term illnesses.

A rural community energy champion is not expected to be an expert on energy efficiency issues but rather be someone with enthusiasm for saving energy and who is willing to commit some of their time to promote simple energy messages within their own community.
Those selected to become energy champions will be invited to attend a one-day energy awareness event locally. The event will include an awareness session on fuel poverty and how households can manage energy and improve comfort levels whilst endeavouring to reduce their energy consumption. An information pack will be issued to each energy champion containing resources that can be used to help promote key messages to householders; this will include a simple “ten top tips” guide for households and information on further sources of local advice and assistance. Each awareness event will provide champions with ample opportunity to ask questions on any energy-related topics
A rural community energy champion is not expected to be an expert on energy efficiency issues but rather be someone with enthusiasm for saving energy and who is willing to commit some of their time to promote simple energy messages within their own community.
Those selected to become energy champions will be invited to attend a one-day energy awareness event locally. The event will include an awareness session on fuel poverty and how households can manage energy and improve comfort levels whilst endeavouring to reduce their energy consumption. An information pack will be issued to each energy champion containing resources that can be used to help promote key messages to householders; this will include a simple “ten top tips” guide for households and information on further sources of local advice and assistance. Each awareness event will provide champions with ample opportunity to ask questions on any energy-related topics.

Your commitment as an energy champion – a summary
All energy champions will be expected to:
Attend a one day energy awareness event to learn more about basic energy efficiency issues
Commit a small amount of time each month to their energy champion activities
Promote simple energy efficiency messages and top tips to at least 15 local residents using the resources provided in the information pack
Complete and return a simple feedback form detailing how many householders have been engaged during the project period and the information provided to them.

Please note that aside from friends and family contact with local residents will be in community settings as appropriate. Energy champions are not expected to cold call any local residents and are not expected to incur any costs other than their own time.

Fuel poverty – the issue
There are currently 5.4 million households in the UK living in fuel poverty. Following recent energy price rises this level could reach an all time high of 6.1 million households in the UK by the end of 2011-2012. Those experiencing fuel poverty need to spend 10% or more of their household annual income to maintain a warm and healthy home. Particularly vulnerable households on low incomes may struggle to afford sufficient fuel alongside other household essentials and as result may ration fuel and under heat their homes. Vulnerable household may include the elderly, those with small children and those living with long-term illness. The result can be a cold damp and unhealthy home environment which can lead to additional health and well being implications for householders and have wider social and economic impacts for communities.

This project aims to recruit and train a group of local energy champion volunteers to promote simple energy efficiency messages to fuel poor and other vulnerable households in rural communities across England. Messages will include basic tips on how to manage energy and improve comfort levels at home at minimal or no-cost to the householder. Champions will learn to signpost householders to other sources of specialist energy or money advice, grant aid for energy efficiency or other household improvements etc.
The project aims to reach a total of 1,000 rural fuel poor households across England over the coming winter period.
Training and ongoing support will be provided by the