The BWCE) Fund is pleased to announce that £31,505 in grants have been awarded to 11 local charitable and community organisations in Bath and the surrounding areas.

This is the ninth year running BWCE has given a portion of its surplus income from renewable energy generation to the independently run BWCE Fund for the benefit of local communities. The grants will be used by local charitable and community organisations on a range of important projects, intended to:

• Cut carbon emissions.
• Reduce energy bills and waste.
• Help with the cost of living crisis by tackling fuel poverty.

“Like so many of us, local charities are becoming more environmentally conscious and want to play their part in reducing carbon emissions in their own organisations and within local communities. The BWCE Fund provides funding for projects that are climate-friendly, which often has the added benefit of saving money during the cost of living crisis. Since 2015 the BWCE Fund grant programme, administered by Quartet Community Foundation, has awarded 91 grants worth over £238,000. Those grants have all gone to local organisations doing vital work to benefit our local communities as well as the environment.”

Sophie Hooper Lea, Chair of Trustees. BWCE Fund

“We know that the local charitable sector is under pressure due to the cost of living crisis. Many local projects are facing growing demand twinned with falling income. We’re delighted we can help the BWCE Fund award these grants to groups across the B&NES area. Many of the projects this year will help protect the environment while enabling people to reduce their fuel bills and energy consumption in a low carbon way.”

Angela Emms, Philanthropy Manager, Quartet Community Foundation (who administer the BWCE Fund)

Grants awarded

£5,000 to Bath City Farm for an air source heat pump to supply heating and hot water to the main community farm building.

£2,650 to Bath Share & Repair to invest in a thermal imaging camera and put together materials to support a number of workshops in partnership with community organisations aimed at helping people to learn “HOW TO” save energy and reduce fuel costs.

£1,800 to Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon for a feasibility study of a proposed new traffic-free, multi-user greenway between Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge.

£1,200 to Climate Hub Bath & North East Somerset toward the development of a physical Climate Hub in Bath that can act as a focus for climate action work locally.

£1,600 to Fairfield House toward implementing the Fairfield House Sustainability plans to improve the energy efficiency of the bungalow on site.

£2,700 to Keynsham Community Energy to provide slow cookers and energy efficiency advice to parents at Keynsham Children’s centre, reducing people’s energy bills and cutting CO2 emissions.

£1,100 to Kidical Mass Bath for free learn-to-cycle sessions for families and adults (all levels of riders). To learn, practise and gain confidence in cycling, with the support of expert coaches and free access to loan bikes.

£4,875 to Oasis Hub Bath to provide slow cookers, slow cooker recipe books and heated over-blankets for food pantry members this winter.

£4,908 to Southside Family Project for fuel debt advice and energy efficiency training for Southside Support Workers. Helping local families in fuel poverty to reduce their energy use, alongside the provision of energy-saving packs.

£2,472 to SWALLOW for the group’s Energy Saving project that will make information easy to understand for people with learning disabilities. Helping them to reduce energy consumption, increase energy efficiency and save money.

£3,200 to Transition Bath for a paid student intern to grow Eco Together climate empowerment. This project will help form new Eco Together groups.

Some words from the grant recipients

We are very grateful to BWCE for this timely grant for Southside. It will enable our team to support families experiencing fuel poverty, helping them to use their energy more efficiently and reduce their energy bills. This will benefit families significantly during the cost of living crisis and difficult winter.  We will provide targeted advice and support, alongside energy saving packs, including radiator reflectors, draught excluders and energy saving bulbs, tailored to their needs.  We will be able to support families to reduce energy/other waste and understand simple ways to make their home more energy efficient.”

Penny McKissock MBE, Southside Family Project

We’re so grateful for this BWCE Fund grant which will make a huge difference to our pantry members, who have been hit particularly hard by the cost of living crisis. The grant will enable us to distribute a slow cooker and heated blanket to each member, helping them keep warm and save money on their energy bills.”

Jo Doby, Oasis Hub Bath

“For a small community group like Kidical Mass Bath, to receive this grant is simply amazing! The funding will allow us to give more children and adults the chance to take up cycling and enjoy the huge benefits of it. By giving them the practical skills and the confidence to cycle, we can help them save money, improve their health and quality of life, as well as reduce air pollution, which improves our city for everyone.”

Delia Masanotti, Kidical Mass Bath