Grant to give vulnerable Chichester families help on staying warm this winter
It will also offer advice of cooking nutritious and affordable meals
Vulnerable families in Chichester will be getting help on how to stay warm on a budget and how to cook nutritious and affordable meals this winter.
It is thanks to a £500 grant from the Utilita Energy High 5 Awards, which has been given to Chichester Wellbeing in partnership with the organisation START.
START is commissioned by Chichester Wellbeing to provide the Family Wellbeing Programme on behalf of Chichester Wellbeing.
It offers tailor-made support for families with overweight children to lead a healthier lifestyle, with cooking, nutrition advice and physical activity.
START also work with other services to remove barriers and help vulnerable families in need.
Here is what the grant will be used to provide:
A free slow cooker to 10 households so they can cook economically and healthily
Free sessions on how to use them and make affordable nutritious meals
Advice and help to stay warm affordably this winter.
The partnership is one of 20 organisations to have received a grant from the scheme, which is coordinated by National Energy Action (NEA) in partnership with Utilita to help tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in local communities.
Councillor Roy Briscoe, cabinet member for culture and community services at Chichester District Council said:
"We are really pleased to receive this award.
"Chichester Wellbeing support many families who have to choose whether to heat or eat every winter.
"This grant will help expand the support that the team offers to some of the most vulnerable families that they work with.
"If you want to find out more about Chichester Wellbeing and the START programme, then I would urge people to contact them on 01243 521041."
Meanwhile Caroline Daplyn, founder of START and The Family Wellbeing Programme, said:
"We are very excited about this innovative partnership.
"It is fantastic that using this award we are now able to support households in need be able to provide affordable, healthy and nutritious meals especially over the winter months.
"It will make a big difference to all those who receive one."
Environmentalist and CEO of Utilita, Bill Bullen, added:
"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many families across the country may be worried about rising energy bills to keep their home warm during the winter months.
"That's why we have a number of programmes in place to help low-income households and vulnerable people, such as our 'Power Up' initiative which has honoured £5.8m in interest free loans to pay for energy since March 2020.
"The Utilita Energy High 5 Awards forms part of our ongoing commitment to help tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency and we're looking forward to seeing how the investment is spent in the coming months to help those most in need."
While Adam Scorer, chief executive at NEA, said:
"This will be a difficult winter for many, but as our winners demonstrate, there is also some brilliant work being undertaken to help people in local communities stay warm at home.
"I want to thank Chichester District Council and Family Wellbeing for their commitment to assisting people in fuel poverty, and Utilita for their generosity in supporting these awards."