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Keeping customers warm this Christmas with our £500,000 fuel poverty fund

This festive season, we are supporting 34 charities, grassroots organisations, local councils and community groups tackling fuel poverty through our £500,000 ‘Community Matters’ fund.

Amongst the beneficiaries is Coventry AIMHS Limited, which will use a grant of £10,000 to provide interactive workshops and one-to-one support for people recovering from mental health issues, and who have been impacted by fuel poverty. Following a challenging two years, and with hardship affecting many, initiatives like this will be crucial to ensuring communities are able to recover from the pandemic, both financially and emotionally.

The grants represent the first tranche of activity from WPD’s Community Matters Fund, which promises to deliver a shareholder-funded, annual £1m support fund for local community initiatives and good causes over the next five years. It builds on a successful £1 million Covid response fund delivered last year to support vulnerable customers through the pandemic.

Alison Sleightholm, WPD’s Resources & External Affairs Director, said: “It’s great to see the first of our grants being distributed to organisations and charities across the our region which are offering direct help to the people who need it most this winter. Their work will make a vital difference, supporting our most vulnerable customers and making a positive impact in the communities we serve.

“Tackling fuel poverty is a crucial and immediate priority for WPD, as vulnerable customers in the region are expected to experience hardship this year. This winter’s community funding from WPD is an extension of our wide-ranging fuel poverty programme, supporting customers who are struggling to pay their bills.”

Also benefitting from the fund is Swansea MAD, which has been awarded £9,000. WPD’s grant will allow the organisation to increase people's understanding of energy costs and gain more control over their bills. With the funding, Swansea MAD expects to help customers save around £16,500.

In the South West, Kingswear Parish Council, has been awarded a £10,000 for a ground-breaking project to support households with inefficient insulation as we head into a cold winter period. With the funds, Kingswear Parish Council will provide vital support for families in the region to make properties more energy efficient, helping them to save money on bills and heat their homes more effectively.

For more information please visit our community matters fund page. Follow the fund on social media via #WPDCommunityFund

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