Cadent Gas partners with local community centres to support vulnerable residents

Cadent Gas has partnered with two community centres in the Rochdale borough, through their Centres For Warmth project, which supports people who are living in vulnerable situations by keeping them warm, safe, and connected.

Both Back O’ Th’ Moss in Heywood and the Bangladesh Association and Community Project in Rochdale have received funding, resources, and training, enabling them to expand on their services and advice offered to vulnerable households.

Funded by its Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance, Cadent’s Centres For Warmth project is based on identifying and partnering with local charities in areas of high deprivation, fuel poverty, and risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The VCMA is a five-year monetary fund that has been allocated to Cadent by Ofgem to spend on projects focused on vulnerability and carbon monoxide safety initiatives that go beyond the company’s day-to-day activities.

Bangladesh Association Community Project

Over £63,000 has been awarded to the Bangladesh Association and Community Project to help provide the community with access to expert advisors who can help with income maximisation, financial assistance with energy bills and energy efficiency and gas safety advice.

Funding from Cadent has allowed them to employ additional part-time workers, enabled longer working hours, and the re-opening of the weekend youth club.

In addition, nearly 2,000 people have been supported with advice, 200 carbon monoxide alarms supplied, and 100 slow cookers supplied.

 

 

A spokesperson for Cadent said: “The centre was chosen because Rochdale is one of the highest deprived areas across Cadent’s network, according to indices of deprivation. High levels of deprivation are often linked to much wider issues such as fuel debt, fuel poverty, financial adversity, and increased carbon monoxide risk.

“This demonstrates that there is a huge need for intervention and support. It was also highlighted that the teams on our mains replacement works were experiencing difficulties with language barriers and engaging the community.

“It was thought that we could enlist help from the centre to help with this whilst also giving back to the community. This worked very well and gave us some learning about why the community wouldn’t engage with Cadent.

“The centre manager explained that posting letters didn’t work as they were in English, so they went straight in the bin. He said the only way to connect was with a member of the centre attending properties with Cadent.

“The centre has said that the funding has had a huge impact – it has allowed them to employ four staff who were otherwise unemployed, open longer hours and begin a youth project at the weekend as well as widening their advice service.”

The partnership between Cadent and the Bangladesh Association and Community Project was also recently highly commended at the Third Sector Business Charity Awards in the Community Impact category.

 

 

Back O’ Th’ Moss

Back O’ Th’ Moss Community Centre in Heywood was awarded £52,000 from September 2022 for a period of 12 months.

It runs sessions 28 hours a week offering hot food and a warm space, along with activities including crafts and healthy eating workshops, and a range of advice on everything from carbon monoxide awareness, helping complete PIP forms, energy saving tips, help with claiming bills, and signing up to the Priority Services Register. 

The centre also runs a food pantry for Heywood residents (Thursdays 10am to 12noon, £5 for 10 items inc. fresh meat and dairy: booking essential 07515 122311)

The centre sees around 80 people a day accessing its services and aims to support over 2,000 customers.

Cadent also supplied 400 carbon monoxide alarms, 150 slow cookers, 10 computers and donated a van for the centre’s use.

The Cadent spokesperson said: “Heywood ranks high on the indices of deprivation.

“We also found that there is a high instance of mental health issues which is linked to deprivation and unemployment in this area. The demographics here include a high number of over 60s and young white British families.

“One of the main reasons behind funding the project is the number of local residents living in vulnerable situations and fuel poverty. The centre also focuses on supporting isolated members of the community, an area where previous Cadent projects had not directly focused on.

“Receiving the van from Cadent has saved the centre a lot of money as they no longer need to hire ‘a man and a van’ to move items for customers, do tip runs and collect food for the foodbank and deliver the food parcels in one trip.”

Jane Catz, manager of Back O’ Th’ Moss, said: “Cadent has identified and become partners with local community centres in areas of high deprivation, fuel poverty, and risk to carbon monoxide poisoning, who are located close to areas where they are carrying out gas mains replacement work.

“Back O’ Th’ Moss Community Centre was lucky enough to be chosen. Cadent chose us because we are a community centre that is positioned at the heart of our community, promoting togetherness and social interaction.”
 

Read more: Carbon monoxide detector given out at Back O’ Th’ Moss Community Centre saves woman’s lifePublished: 02 May 2023

Jane continued: “We also run energy efficiency sessions to try to help people to save money when cooking and using appliances in the home.

“One way of doing this is holding slow cooker demonstration sessions in which the energy efficient nature of slow cooking is highlighted along with energy saving hints and tips. Following the demo, participants can take a free 3.5ltr slow cooker home.

“We also encourage vulnerable people to join the gas service Priority Services Register which is completely free, designed to make it easier for those who need a little extra help.”

If any Heywood resident would like more information on Back O’ Th’ Moss’s Food Pantry; joining the Priority Services Register; receiving a free gas safety check including boiler servicing; obtaining a free carbon monoxide detector and a slow cooker, or information on the centre’s extensive programme of services and activities, please contact a member of staff on 07515 122311.

Priority Services Register (PSR)

The Priority Services Register is a free service that helps energy companies, including energy suppliers, electricity and gas networks to look after customers who have extra communication, access or safety needs.

It helps Cadent tailor services to support households who need additional help with everyday energy matters like bills, and also in the unlikely event of a power cut or gas supply interruption.

Find out if you’re eligible and register at cadentgas.com/PSR