£18k to help residents lower their energy bills
FAMILIES from Leek and the surrounding Moorlands area can now get help with their energy bills - which could lead to them saving hundreds of pounds.
A free service is now to be made available to people after Leek Citizens Advice was awarded an £18,000 grant from the Energy Best Deal Extra fund to help people save money by using less energy in their homes.
A spokesman for the citizens advice said that with winter just around the corner, it is an important time to take action and cut energy costs particularly for those low incomes, in a poorly insulated home and are struggling to pay their bills.
Trained advisers will offer free advice to people to help reduce the amount of gas and electricity they use and shop around and possibly move to cheaper energy tariffs.
Chairman of Leek Citizens Advice, Philip Haddock, said that they welcome the additional funding that has been received.
He said: “We welcome the grant we have received which will benefit many people from Leek and the surrounding areas with their energy bills over the winter months.
“Many people have not got computers and many have never switched suppliers. Energy prices keep rising and some people have had to cut their heating down.
“Given the high costs of gas and electricity many people find it difficult to make ends meet. If you need to spend more than 10 per cent of your household income on fuel you may be in fuel poverty.
“Older people are particularly vulnerable and turning the heating down to save money can lead to serious health risks. Citizens Advice is able to help those who may have run up big energy bills.”
Leek Town mayor, Roy Tomkinson, pictured, has also welcomed the news of the additional funding being made available to help people with their energy bills.
He said: “This is good news for the people of Leek and the surrounding Leek youngster is licking his lips after winning a colouring competition.
Daniel Hughes, eight, has been announced as the winner of the Support Staffordshire and South West Peak colouring competition at the September Leek Sunday Supplement Market.
Youngsters were invited to colour pictures of animals found in the South West Peak and Daniel coloured a picture of a curlew, adding other birds to the picture.
Daniel was awarded an ice-cream voucher for his family for the famous Hilly Billy Ice-creams kindly donated by Marshall
Walker from Blaze Farm, Wildboarclough.
The competition was organised by the South
West Peak Landscape Partnership and Support Staffordshire to raise awareness about the Partnership’s community grant scheme and to promote the range of volunteering opportunities in the Staffordshire Moorlands available through Support Staffordshire.
The community grants
area. It will help many people especially the elderly and those in financial hardship.
“There will be expert advice available and those people giving the advice will have no interest in selling you a certain product. They will just be looking at getting people the best deal for your energy.”
If you would like advice on your energy needs or on how you could switch to another supplier please contact Leek Citizens Advice either by phone on 01538 373068 to make an appointment or call in at one of our drop-in sessions on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday between 9.15am and 12.15pm at the offices in Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek.
Leek Citizens Advice annual general meeting will be held at 5pm today, Wednesday, October 24 at their offices in Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek. scheme offers grants of up to £10,000 to help fund community projects and activities in the South West Peak area.
For more information about the South West Peak Landscape Partnership, visit