Funded nationally by Citizens Advice, the Big Energy Saving Network (or, BESN) is a collaboration of locally-delivered advice projects, spanning England and Wales.  The project starts each year at the onset of Autumn, and runs through to the end of March. Local organisations can deliver an “Energy Champion” project, and/or a “Regional Energy Lead” project, each contributing to the national targets, in different ways. Energy Projects Plus is pleased to announce we have been successful for bidding for both projects.

Katie and Bob delivering an energy efficiency advice stall

Energy Champion
Energy Projects Plus has delivered Energy Champion projects for BESN, since 2013. This year we have 3 Energy Champions, each looking to engage with 100 vulnerable energy consumers, in order to provide energy efficiency advice and support out in the community. Thanks to the continuing reduction in lock-down restrictions, we look forward to a return to community events. We will attend as many as possible, delivering our service from our energy efficiency advice stall. Visitors to our stalls can ask our expert Energy Advisors any questions they have about energy bills/keeping warm, take literature on topics of interest, and keep a the pen they use to complete our advice record slip.

Regional Energy Lead
Energy Projects Plus has delivered this project for the past two years, and is pleased to be delivering it again this year. Each region is assigned two Energy Leads. So, while our usual ‘patch’ is Merseyside and Cheshire, for the purposes of BESN, we are a Regional Energy Lead for the whole of the Northwest, in conjunction with Groundwork Greater Manchester, who are our partners in this delivery.

There are two distinct functions of this role:

Dom, delivering energy training to a team of Social Prescribers in Wirral

1. To deliver training on the topic of energy efficiency to front-line workers (staff and/or volunteers) who engage with potentially vulnerable residents. This training is short (usually an hour), informal, can be delivered face-to-face (where allowed), or online, and its purpose is to empower individuals who might not normally engage with clients/tenants/members about energy efficiency, to provide some basic advice, and also to know where to refer people for further advice and support.
2. To provide support to Energy Champions. This includes a minimum of a monthly catch up with the Energy Champions in the area, and the delivery of two peer-to-peer support events where Energy Champions are encouraged to meet up, share best practice, and seek resolutions to any queries they might have around advice and delivery.

If you are planning a community event and you’d like an Energy Champion to attend, or if you’re interested in receiving a training session delivered by a Regional Energy Lead, or simply to find out more about our Big Energy Saving Network project, please call our Save Energy Advice Line free on 0800 043 0151, or email advice@epplus.org.