Since 2021, Frome’s team of Energy Advice Champions have been helping local people to live in warmer, drier and more pleasant homes, via the lottery-funded Green and Healthy Frome project. They’re recruiting new team members to provide free, impartial energy advice in 2025. Cllr Fiona Barrows said:
“The friendly team of Energy Champions have a really broad remit. From support to access grant funding for home improvements, help with energy poverty or energy debt, to insulating a draughty door, the team can help. Living in cold, damp or draughty homes is really bad for our mental and physical health and there’s no single, obvious profile of who ends up in that situation. Our advisers are specially trained to help with a range of issues and find the right actions for you. Of course, whatever you do to improve your home’s energy efficiency and save money is also better for the environment – everyone benefits. If you can spare a few hours and you’d like to help others and learn new skills, volunteering for the Healthy Homes team could be for you.”
In addition to ad hoc ‘roadshow’ events and home visits and offering talks to local groups and organisations, the team are at regular drop-in sessions, open to anyone. Drop-ins run at Frome Medical Practice, fortnightly on Wednesdays from 12pm to 4pm, and on the first Tuesday of the month alongside the Fair Frome Community Pantry, 2pm to 4.30pm in the Elliott Building behind Frome Town Hall.
Energy Advice Volunteer Co-ordinator, Caroline Wajsblum said, “Join our friendly and supportive team. Full training is provided and hours of volunteering are flexible, so everyone is very welcome.”
“One Frome resident lived in a cold home with an outdated boiler, no hot water, and mounting debt due to unresolved solar panel issues. Thanks to support from Healthy Homes, she has successfully resolved the dispute with the solar panel provider, secured grant funding for a heat pump and seen improvements in her finances, her health and energy efficiency. If you’d like to be part of the team and help people like her, get in touch.”
The Healthy Homes team is part of Green and Healthy Frome, a collaboration between Frome Medical Practice, Edventure and Frome Town Council, funded by the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund (CAF). Find out more at Green & Healthy Frome.
To apply to be an Energy Champion, send a short cover letter to explain why you are interested in joining the team to Caroline Wajsblum at cwajsblum@frometowncouncil.gov.uk or 07597 700837, by 31st January. The next training date is on Wednesday 12th February, 9.30am to 3.30pm, including lunch. Further information is at https://bit.ly/jobs-at-ftc.
