Welcome to Sustainable Hayfield

Thank you to all who came to the Future of Energy Meeting last month or who have expressed an interest in becoming involved in Sustainable Hayfield. We have had a fantastic response to the meeting and are confident that we can build a strong and active group working towards a more sustainable future for our community. Hopefully you will all be part of it!

As next steps, we have organized a first meet of the enlarged group on Wednesday 16th February at 7.30pm at the school. More details of the meeting will be sent out shortly, but its broad aims will be to agree a modus operandi as well as generate ideas as to projects \ activities we can start pursuing within the community, encompassing a wide range of sustainable issues. We have also arranged for an excellent speaker – Mike Evanson from the Combs Energy Project - to start the evening off and help facilitate the brain storming session. I hope you will be able to join us!

In terms of the future modus operandi, we envisage we will need to form a "steering" group of about 8 – 10 people, to take on the administration of the group, provide technical guidance and lead the various projects etc. If you would be interested in getting involved in this way please let Mike or myself know, either at the meeting or before hand. We need you!

In the meantime, following the "Future of Energy" meeting, here are a couple of things that may be of interest to you:

1. A couple of schemes promoting home insulation and offering very good discounts \ prices which are worth a look:
1. www.superdadonline.co.uk – saving the planet one loft at a time! Offer ends end March 31st.
   
2. High Peak Warm Streets – offering free surveys and heavily subsidized roof and cavity wall insulation in partnership with High Peak Borough Council – Phone 07740 922533
   
   As Graham mentioned at the meeting, 25% of heat is lost through the roof of our houses and 35% through the walls, so improving home insulation is one of the simplest, most cost effective energy saving \ carbon reduction actions we can take. And in terms of the finances it makes complete sense: the Warm Streets scheme, which is grant funded, enables most post 1920 houses to be loft and cavity wall insulated for £300 (commercial cost £1000+), from which the typical house can expect to save up to £270 in fuel bills a year. In other words it pays for itself in a year!
   
2. Several people who are looking at installing solar panels on their roof have said they would be interested in joining a purchasing group to bulk buy the panels and thereby obtain a discount and \ or gain comfort over the credibility of the supplier. This is certainly an idea that we would like to consider, not just for Solar Panels, but for all major "Energy Conservation" equipment, so if you are interested or have the skills to help set up such a Group please get in touch – it would be good to know the level of interest in this ready for the meeting on the 16th.