Energy Projects Plus in partnership with Faiths4Change has been awarded funding through the Public Health Innovation Fund in Wirral to undertake The Warm & Well pilot project with Sure Start Children Centres.

A project developed to help families with pre-school children in deprived areas to gain practical knowledge and skills to healthy and sustainable living by learning how to grow their own food, pick up tips on healthy diets as well as reduce their energy costs and keep their homes warm.

This is achieved by taking part in workshops filled with practical and fun activities for parents/carers and children.

Research demonstrates high levels of fuel poverty and health inequalities in some areas of the Wirral and we wanted to create a practical programme that would enable people to take action.  With the support of the Sure Start Manager in the Wirral we are working with the following Children’s Centres: Seacombe Children Centre; Cathcart Children Centre; Bidston & St James Children Centre and Rock Ferry Children Centre.

The project offers 12 funded Warm & Well workshops in each of the 4 centres;  The aim of the project is to work closely with the Centres to identify  the most appropriate groups to deliver to.

We have created a Warm & Well Menu from which the centres can choose an energy workshop and a food workshop for every group session they would like us to target.

For example, at a Grandparent Group session, we delivered our Indoor Growing Taster workshop and Energy Taster Two/Warm House workshop and at a Baby Babble session – Weaning on to fresh foods and Energy Taster Two /Warm House.