Islington fuel poverty campaign scoops national award
left to right: Toby Morgan, Islington Council, Baroness Verma and Christine Tate, British Gas, John Kolm-Murray, Islington Council - Credit: Archant
A campaign to stamp out fuel poverty and drive down cold-related deaths has scooped a national award after helping thousands of people borough-wide.
Islington Council’s SHINE project beat off stiff competition to be named the national winner of the Community Footprint Award Scheme.
It was launched with an initial £2,000 and will now receive a boost of £3,000 as a reward for being crowned king.
SHINE, which stands for Seasonal Health Interventions Network, aims to reduce cold-related deaths and tackle fuel poverty through provision of a single-point referral system.
Up to 27 interventions are offered to people affected under the scheme, which includes improving their energy efficiency measures, benefit entitlement checks and measures to improve fire safety and home security.
The project has so far assisted more than 3,300 people and has enjoyed such success it has been extended to neighbouring Hackney.
It is backed by the fuel poverty charity National Energy Action, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and British Gas.
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Cllr Paul Smith, Islington Council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “We’re on the side of our residents and want to help the thousands of local people in fuel poverty.
“In these tough times our SHINE team is making a real difference to the lives of residents who face a daily battle to keep their families and homes warm.”
