Cardiff unites for warm homes

Cardiff Friends of the Earth held a community event in April at Grangetown Pavilion to gather people from across the city centre to create an illustrated fabric square for their growing community quilt and write postcards to their MPs asking them to support the asks of Friends of the Earth's United for Warm Homes campaign:

• Urgent support for people dealing with sky-high energy bills.  
• A new emergency programme to insulate our heat-leaking homes.  
• An energy system powered by cheap, green renewables. 

Attendees heard from a panel of speakers working on fuel poverty and renewable energy projects including Dr Simon Lannon from Cardiff School of Architecture who shared their research on mapping fuel poverty and health issues across Cardiff to inform targeted support to communities, Jon Townend from Ynni Teg, a social enterprise that supports communities to develop their own community energy projects and Jenny Lloyd from Friends of the Earth Cymru who shared their latest research with the Institute of Healthy Equity on the health impact of living in cold homes.  

They were also joined by Nest, an energy support scheme that gave advice on the help available for people struggling to pay for their rising energy bills. 
 
There was a buzz in the room all evening with people sharing ideas for campaigning, building new partnerships and getting crafty.  

The upcoming general election gives us an opportunity to make sure the next UK government puts climate justice at its centre, so watch this space for more action as Friends of the Earth groups prepare to put their demands for a social and climate just UK Parliament to our politicians.  

You can read more about the United for Warm Homes campaign here.