Lower bills for Smallbridge

RBH employees and tenants working together with Groundwork: Claire James, Chair, STARA; Julie Greenwell, RBH Neighbourhood Housing Officer; Izzy Mactague, Business Development Co-ordinator, Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale; Claire Igoe, Senior Co-ordinator, Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale

A pilot scheme to help residents in Smallbridge to cut their fuel bills by becoming more energy efficient is under way.

Residents in Smallbridge will receive energy and money saving advice, and a "green doctor" service of tailored energy awareness advice will be offered to Rochdale Boroughwide Housing tenant households.

Alongside the energy efficiency scheme, 178 RBH properties in the Smallbridge area are currently receiving new double-glazed windows. RBH have employed local contractor Greenwood Builders Ltd to carry out this work, and 11 of the 13 contractors on site are Rochdale residents.

Ros Martin, Sustainability Co-ordinator for RBH, said: "We hope that this pilot scheme will allow Smallbridge residents to save energy and save money, and we're delighted to be working alongside Groundwork for the benefit of our tenants and residents. By training local community volunteers to deliver energy-saving advice in the future, we can also strive to achieve smaller bills for Smallbridge in the long-term."

If the pilot is successful, RBH will look to extend the scheme to other areas across the Borough.

Teresa Jennings, Operations Director at Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing on this pilot programme. We will be supporting tenants in making their homes more energy efficient through the installation of basic measures and through behaviour change advice. This will reduce the cost of people's utility bills at a time when the cost of heating homes is going up and up."

Local tenants have given a warm welcome to the scheme. Claire James, Chairwoman of Smallbridge Tenants And Residents Association (STARA), said: "The help to cut fuel bills will have a positive effect. We have a lot of elderly residents and young families in the area, and any additional help that can be provided is brilliant"