CARLOWAY AND GALSON COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS WORK WITH TIGHEAN INNSE GALL IN A BID TO “LIGHT UP” HOMES

An exciting new partnership project is ready to launch this summer and is funded by the Climate Challenge Fund. The project partners are community landowning trusts Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn and Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh working with local energy experts Tighean Innse Gall (TIG) who will deliver the project by supporting households within the two estates to take practical steps to become more energy efficient.

The aim of this project is to reduce carbon emissions across both estate areas, by providing householders with information and knowledge as well as encouraging them to save money through behavioural change. Whilst carrying out home visits and as well as replacing older, inefficient bulbs with efficient LED bulbs, households will also benefit from tailored energy efficiency, tariff and switching advice alongside referrals to partner agencies. Matt Bruce, TIG Board member commented “this incentive and opportunity coupled with TIG’s reputation as the local energy agency, and the high demand shown by both Galson and Carloway Land Trusts to look at fuel use and the cost of heating, has led to this project and we very much look forward to the positive impacts it is set to create.”

Agnes Rennie, Chair of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn commented “we are very pleased to be working in partnership to deliver this project. We see the purchase of the bulbs for distribution to homes as a meaningful investment that will support households with energy costs and we see this as phase one of a project we hope to eventually deliver on a wider scale and across many levels. It feeds into our strategic plan and the impact of the project is very measurable; the data gathered from this project will inform further measures to help households reduce costs and save energy.”

Kenneth Maclennan, Chair of Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh added “working together makes much sense and draws on the expertise of all involved and we look forward to seeing the benefits and outcomes of the project as it is likely to have a real impact on the communities involved. Urras Oighreachd Charlabhaigh are grateful to Western Isles Development Trust for assistance with the purchase of bulbs for this project.”

A project team have been employed by TIG and the first project meeting has been held. It is hoped the roll out of the initiative will be underway from June. The next 10 months will see over 2,000 LED lightbulbs put in place, many homes will have Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs) completed and it is hoped there will be some impact on the extremely high fuel poverty figure for the Western Isles as a whole.

Background Notes:

1. For further information contact: Finlay MacLennan or Amy Kapherr-Diament, project officers, Tighean Innse Gall, Tel: 01851 706121 option 3, Email: finlay@tighean.co.uk, amy@tighean.co.uk

2. Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsain is the local development trust responsible for managing the land on the community’s behalf.

3. Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh is the local development trust responsible for managing the land on the community’s behalf.

4. The LED lightbulb project has been mainly funded by the Climate Challenge Fund. Other funders have included Western Isles Development Trust for the Carloway Estate area. Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn have used some of their own resources to complete the funding package for the Galson Estate.

5. Pictured (Matt Bruce, TIG Board Member, Holly Magee, Project Administrator, Sally Reynolds, Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh Development Manager, Agnes Rennie, Chair of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, Kenneth Maclennan, Chair of Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh, Lisa Maclean, Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn Development Manager, Amy Kapherr-Diament, Project Officer, Finlay MacLennan, Project Officer)

For immediate use

Dated 9th May 2017