Our community-based energy advice teams provide crucial help for vulnerable people in Wales and the English border counties. Many of the residents they support are in crisis with their energy use and bills, and advisers often visit them at home to resolve issues that have potentially serious effects on their physical and mental health.
Community-based energy adviser Tess Thorp gives us an insight into her work and how fuel poverty and energy use are affecting residents of Ceredigion.
Where are you from?
I moved here from Hertfordshire, but my dad is Welsh so I spent a lot of time in Wales as a child, and I went to Aberystwyth University to study geography.
What inspired you to apply for the position as a community-based energy adviser in Ceredigion?
It’s really exciting to be part of a new team that will be bringing help to the Ceredigion community. Sometimes it feels like Ceredigion can get overlooked, so it’s very important that we look after each other here.
What were you doing before this job?
I worked for another Ceredigion-based charity, so I’ve met a lot of people around the county already and am looking forward to meeting more.
How much of a problem is fuel poverty in an area like Ceredigion?
People in rural, sparsely populated counties like Ceredigion face a range of challenges when it comes to their energy supply. Most of the population uses solid fuel to heat their homes, and a lot of the housing is older – I live in an old stone cottage with a woodburner, so I’m very used to having to chop and lug logs around myself. But, even in towns, a gas supply isn’t available to many people and that can mean higher costs and limited options. It can often feel like a juggling act balancing all your needs and it’s really daunting if you are struggling with that.
Give us an idea of a typical week in your new job…
A typical week involves contacting anyone who has asked for help to see what help they need. This usually leads to meeting the client at their home, or in the community, to assess their issues more thoroughly and give whatever support we can to help them overcome those challenges. This might be as simple as giving advice on saving energy, or it might involve contacting the client’s supplier to sort out a payment plan – there are so many ways that we can help.
I am also often found at community events and drop-in sessions that the public can attend and find out about us and get advice.
What do you think are the main challenges facing communities in Ceredigion when trying to adopt more sustainable ways of using energy?
Probably simply not knowing where to start, or what help is available. Part of my job is to give people practical energy-saving advice and signpost financial support – there are several schemes available to help with both energy-saving improvements like insulation and condensing boilers, and with installing clean energy solutions like solar panels and heat pumps. Those of us working in the community can help people check their eligibility for different schemes and give support with applications too.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
I teach Welsh at Aberystwyth University. I also have a (very small) smallholding where I grow lots of veggies so there’s always lots to do. You might also see me at the Amgueddfa Ceredigion in Aberystwyth, as I sometimes work at events there too.
What difference would you like to make in your job?
Very simply, I’d like to see everyone able to afford to heat their homes without worry – anything I can do to work towards that end is a step in the right direction.
Live to work, or work to live?
Work to live! But when you live in rural Ceredigion there’s always lots to do 😍
Tess’s top three tips for saving energy at home
* Turn your boiler flow temperature to 60˚C – so you’re not heating the water in your system unnecessarily.
* Turn down your room thermostat by 1˚C – and turn radiators right down in rooms you’re not using.
* Always wash your clothes on a cool cycle, 30˚C is ideal – and wait until you have a full load.
(For more tips and advice see our Resources page.)
