Save hundreds of pounds on gas and electricity bills

Hugh Goulbourne (Director, Community Energy Direct), Sarah Diver (Community Energy Direct), Nicky Morris (Community Action Team Manager, RBH), Gareth Swarbrick (Chief Executive, RBH)

Local residents can learn how to use their energy smarter and save hundreds of pounds on their gas and electricity bills by joining the new Energy Smart Club, launched locally by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing in partnership with Community Energy Direct and consumer champions Which?

The Energy Smart Club, launched this week in Rochdale, enables local people to come together to learn more about how to use their energy smarter, reduce consumption and to identify potential ways of sourcing grants to install energy saving measures such as insulation and double glazing. The scheme is open to all local residents, not just RBH tenants. 

Energy Smart Club members can also take advantage of the collective energy switching scheme to cut the price of their energy bills. Households simply register to switch their energy supplier, then their details are passed to Which? who invite the energy suppliers to put forward their best price deal, which is then offered to those who’ve registered to switch. The more people who join the scheme, the better the likely deal from the energy suppliers.

Local residents can join the Energy Smart Club by visiting the Community Energy Direct website at www.communityenergy.info or by attending the drop-in sessions in Smallbridge and Kirkholt.

Kirkholt (RBH Drop-In Centre, The Strand):
Friday 5 April (2pm until 5pm)
Monday 8 April (2pm until 5pm)
Friday 12 April (2pm until 5pm)
Monday 15 April (2pm until 5pm)

Smallbridge (STARA, Stevenson Square):
Thursday 11 April (10am until 2pm)
Tuesday 16 April (10am until 12 noon)

Nicky Morris, Community Action Team Manager at RBH, urged local people to join the new Energy Smart Club: “The Energy Smart Club will make a real difference to the lives of many people by showing smarter ways to use energy, to reduce consumption and so save money on bills”

The closing date for registering an interest is midnight on 17th April. Local people are being encouraged to join the new Energy Smart Club by local people who have been trained as volunteer Energy Champions. One is Ms Phil Renshaw, of Gladstone Street, Rochdale, who is a Board member of RBH:

“I passionately feel that everyone has the right to energy and should get it at the lowest possible price. If by working voluntarily as an Energy Champion to spread the message of the new Energy Smart Club and then the collective energy switch then I will do my best to ensure as many people in Rochdale know about what’s happening”

Hugh Goulbourne, director of Community Energy Direct, said: “This co-operative approach to energy sourcing really will enable domestic gas and electricity users to band together to get the best possible price deal from energy suppliers. It’s a new initiative in the energy industry.”

Richard Lloyd, executive director, Which?, said: “Which? is proud to be teaming up with CED to help people save on their energy bills. Rising energy prices are one of consumers' top financial worries but by taking part in the Energy Smart Club and the collective switch people in Rochdale could help their household budgets. When Which? ran our national collective switch last year, The Big Switch, we saved those who took part an average of £223.”