Bags of Help for Energise Sussex Coast

Energise Sussex Coast is bidding to bag a massive cash boost for its ‘Science Lab on the Beach’ project from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative. This really is an excellent community organisation, who are doing all they can to reduce local fuel poverty and develop local community energy, so that the benefits stay within Hastings and St Leonards. HOT’s Zelly Restorick writes.

If you shop at Tescos, please remember to vote for Energise Sussex Coast,              as it really will be an energising boost for the town.

What is Energise Sussex Coast?

Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) is a community benefit co-operative set up to address fuel poverty in Hastings and Rother and reduce dependence on fossil fuel reserves through the development of community owned renewable energy generation projects and energy saving schemes.

ESC saved local residents over £100,000 in 2015/16, using their local knowledge and one-to-one intensive energy advice, giving their clients the time and support they need to ease the burden of fuel poverty.

ESC are pioneers, piloting innovative schemes such as Energy Local, to develop local energy generation and storage solutions together with Time of Use tariffs.

ESC are also ambitious and determined, launching the 1066 Energy Campaign, transforming the way we generate and use energy locally and influencing the national agenda on how communities can tackle the twin problems of fuel poverty and climate change.

The Science Lab on the Beach

The Science Lab on the Beach will feature solar-powered family activities, solar panel making, solar powered boat building for children, an energy quiz and more. The idea is to give local residents a taste of the amazing potential that sunny Hastings holds for changing the way we power our local area through more locally owned, community benefit renewable energy and greater household energy efficiency.

Richard Watson, chief executive of Energise Sussex Coast, said: “Hastings is one of the sunniest places in UK and we want every child in the town to be able to come to our Science Lab on the Beach to have fun and find out how the sun can help us generate clean energy for the future.”

Voting is open in the following local stores throughout July and August:

Tesco Express, Battle Hill, Battle, TN33 0BN

Tesco Express, Fernside Ave, St Leonards, TN38 0UU

Tescos Extra, Church Wood Drive, TN38 9RB

Tesco Express, Lacuna Place, Hastings, TN34 1BP

Tesco Express, Little Ridge Ave, Hastings, TN37 7LR

Tesco Express, Old London Road, Ore, TN35 5BH

You cast your vote using a token given out at the check-out each time you shop.

Bags of Help

Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to local community projects.

Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.

Energise Sussex Coast is one of the groups on the shortlist for July-August. Please vote for them and energise their community energy ambitions.

Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for July and August. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see them come to life in hundreds of communities.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online. So far Bags of Help has awarded £30 million to more than 4,600 community projects. More information here.

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