Past projects

The greener living programme

The Greener Living Programme was a six month project that started in October 2008 and was carried out through a series of ten road shows around Wiltshire in 2009, accompanied by the ‘Greener Guide to Living’ booklet.

Supported by all the local authorities in Wiltshire, the project aimed to introduce the people of Wiltshire to a whole range of more environmentally-friendly lifestyle choices they could make. At the road shows you could see: How to reduce your impact on the environment through changing the way you use energy, how you can reduce your transport footprint, how to conserve water, how to minimise your waste and how you can get involved in your area with ‘Wiltshire World Changers’ and lot, lots more!!!

Salisbury affordable warmth campaign

The Salisbury Affordable Warmth campaign was a six-month project which started in September 2008 and aimed to provide practical advice on heating the home to residents of the Salisbury district. The project had been set up in response to rising fuel prices and the difficult financial climate we currently find ourselves in.

The campaign was supported by Salisbury District Council and aimed at people who are having difficulty paying for their fuel or are facing high fuel bills. An ‘Affordable Warmth Action Booklet’ was produced to advise people on where they can reduce fuel costs and maximise their income, to help maintain a warm and healthy home.

Sunshine Healthy Living Project

Between 2003 and 2008 the Sunshine Healthy Living Project worked with communities in the Mere, Barford and Tisbury areas to help to reduce fuel poverty and improve health. Fuel poverty is a term used to describe the circumstance in which more than 10% of household income is being spent on fuel. A number of illnesses may be related to, or worsened by, living in a cold or damp home including respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. During the five years the team provided help to almost 2000 people living in the project area and attended nearly 100 events and presentations. Among their many activities team members joined mobile libraries to spread the message, turned up at GPs surgeries to talk to people waiting for flu jabs, and ran workshops in schools in which children decorated room thermometers to take home to parents.

The Sunshine Healthy Living Project was funded with lottery money from the Big Lottery Fund and was a partnership between Salisbury District Council, South Wilts PCT, Salisbury & District CVS and eight local charities including Wiltshire Energy Efficiency Advice Centre.

Switch On

The Trust’s Switch on programme aimed to encourage people to become more energy conscious and reduce the amount of polluting energy consumed by highlighting the effects of climate change on wildlife. As part of the Switch on programme, the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust set up the Energy Club in 2004 which grew to nearly 300 members in its two years of running. Energy efficiency was promoted by the provision of advice and a number of affiliation schemes were set up with companies to offer members discounts on products and services that would enhance home energy efficiency. Trips were also offered to raise awareness about energy efficiency including a visit to one of the UK’s most innovative green living projects, the sustainable housing scheme BedZED in Beddinton, Surrey. As a result of the Energy Club’s activity, nearly 500 tonnes of carbon were saved!

Switch On Swindon ran a year long competition, sponsored by RWE Innogy to find Swindon’s most energy efficient community (council ward). The council wards competed against each other to save energy in their homes. Over 1,200 homes in Swindon received energy-saving advice, 20 talks were given to community groups, and over 1000 children took part in workshops on energy saving and climate change.

In January 2005, the Old Town and Lawn council ward received the top prize of £4000 at the head office of sponsor npower. Additional prizes were awarded of £500 each to Croft and Larra Community Council and STICKY church youth group.

Health Through Warmth

The Health Through Warmth project was set up in 2000 by npower in conjunction with the NHS and National Energy Action (NEA). The £10 million scheme was aimed at helping vulnerable people improve their health through increasing the energy efficiency of their homes and improving heating systems. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust managed the scheme locally helping over 500 people to access over £400,000 worth of funding for insulation and heating measures. The scheme also trained 400 key workers to refer their clients for help. 
 

These programmes have now finished however, free, impartial energy efficiency advice, including information on possible discounts and grants, is still available. Call your local Energy Saving Trust Centre on 0800 512012