Sheila, 84, from Blackpool was a recent recipient of the Cadent Foundation £1m Warm Fund. Following the passing of her husband Jim, 92, a few years ago, Sheila started to notice her energy bills start to have an impact on her daily life.
She contacted Groundwork because she was worried that her smart meter wasn’t working after noticing her gas bills were unusually low. Sheila was anxious about the possibility of suddenly receiving a large bill for energy which she had been unable to pay for at no fault of her own.
Green Doctor Rachel Denby was able to support Sheila, calling her energy supplier to amend her billing issues, as well as offering energy efficiency items including draught excluders and radiator foil. Already struggling to live on her pension, Sheila also received support from the Cadent Foundation £1m Warm Fund, including an electric throw, an energy voucher and hot water bottle.
Sheila said: Before I met Rachel, it was a very stressful time for me. My husband had sadly passed away and I was struggling to see how I could make my money stretch to ensure I was warm and eating a good meal. During the worst periods, I was restricting myself to one meal a day and couldn’t buy any luxuries, including a Sunday roast which I used to have every weekend.
The support from the Green Doctors and Cadent Foundation has been wonderful. The blanket is so warm and allows me to manage my energy better, as it only costs 3p per hour to run it. I feel more independent and have been able to keep my heating on over the cold spells. My daughter even joked that she was too warm over Christmas!
My advice for anyone struggling is to reach out to your local community centre. I met Rachel at @TheGrange in Blackpool and my life has improved in so many ways. I even volunteer now! It can be difficult to ask for help, especially when you’ve retired, but once you realise the support is available, it can make you rest a little easier and live comfortably in your own home.
