Bath & West Community Energy Fund (BWCE Fund) has awarded £40,500 in grants to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. This year, the fund is supporting 10 local charitable and community organisations in Bath and the surrounding areas.

For the tenth 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 as organisations face soaring costs due to inflation and the cost of living crisis.”

Sophie Hooper Lea, Chair of Trustees. BWCE Fund

“We’re delighted to continue to work with the BWCE Fund to award these grants to groups across the B&NES area. The increased support provided through the BWCE Fund enables these projects to 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 Community Kitchen to tackle food waste and poverty by providing free meals events in the areas of highest deprivation in Bath, using surplus food from local suppliers.

£3,755 to Bath Share & Repair to take their ‘How to Reduce Waste Project’ into the rural schools that their Repair Cafes serve in those locations.

£2,100 to Bishop Sutton Village Hall to reduce gas energy use by introducing new thermostats that can adjust the heating in different zones in the hall by local or remote control.

£4,500 to Climate Hub Bath and North East Somerset to support an exciting and expanded programme of activities and events in 2024 and to support their continued growth and development as an organisation.

£5,000 to Cycle Chippenham to create a cycle path as a cut-through between two dead end roads, using some unused land. This grant covers the critical first steps of the process.

£750 to Freshford & Limpley Stoke Home Energy Group to purchase a thermal imaging camera to support home energy surveys.

£4,900 to Friends of Marksbury School PTA to provide a contribution towards the cost of a new low carbon air to air heating system and energy education programme.

£4,500 to Genesis Trust to provide energy saving items for people affected by poverty and disadvantage to be distributed by Bath Foodbank and Life Projects.

£5000 to More Trees for Bath & North East Somerset Funding to insulate their new hub in Twerton. This building will become their HQ and provide space for tree seed processing, workspace, training, networking for staff and volunteers plus education including schools.

£5,000 to Transition Bath toward the cost of a freelance worker who is helping to develop the organisation’s plans and strategies, grow projects, recruit volunteers, organise events and support fundraising.

We look forward to reporting back on the progress of these initiatives later in the year.