A Leeds charity has referred a record number of residents to npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme after attending awareness sessions to help identify the risks associated with cold and damp related illnesses.

Since 2007, representatives from Groundwork Leeds have attended five sessions run by Health Through Warmth and referred 40 residents to the scheme, making it the top referrer in the city.  The Groundwork Green Doctor project offers free energy saving measures and advice to households across Leeds.

Health Through Warmth is managed locally by Care & Repair Leeds and aims to help vulnerable residents whose health is made worse by cold and damp living conditions and who don’t have adequate heating and insulation. The scheme relies on community workers referring people for help, and offers free awareness sessions, which include information about how the scheme operates, the links between ill health and cold, damp living conditions and the signs to look out for.

Nico Smith, Climate Change Team Coordinator at Groundwork Leeds, comments: “Groundwork’s Green Doctor project is focused on improving the quality of life for local residents Through free energy saving measures and advice, and npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme shares many of the same aims and values. Being able to refer clients to Health through Warmth is an important part of our Green Doctor service, and we have been able to make a difference to their lives because of this link.

“Health Through Warmth awareness sessions were incredibly useful for our employees and I would encourage other organisations and charities in the area to attend a session to understand how the scheme can help.”

Elaine Midwinter, Health Through Warmth scheme manager, adds: “Although people who come into contact with vulnerable residents on a daily basis may think they can easily recognise the signs of cold and damp related illnesses, residents’ circumstances can be varied and complex.

“Health Through Warmth awareness sessions help to make clear the risks associated with living in a cold, damp home and offer direct advice on what to look out for and how to go about making a referral to the scheme.

“During the summer, the potential consequences of living in cold and damp conditions may not be at the forefront of people’s minds, but now is a good time for local organisations like Groundwork to attend an awareness session. They can then confidently refer people to the scheme before the really cold winter weather returns.”

Each referral received is assessed individually by the local Health Through Warmth co-ordinator and funding is accessed from a variety of sources, including the unique npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund, government grants and charitable funds to help pay for the installation of appropriate heating and insulation measures.

Leeds is one of 15 areas across England and Wales in which npower Health Through Warmth operates. The scheme was set up in 2000 by npower, in partnership with National Energy Action (NEA), the fuel poverty charity, and the NHS. During this time more than 57,000 people have been referred to the scheme, which has leveraged nearly £48m to secure heating and insulation measures for vulnerable residents with cold and damp related illnesses. More than £5m has been accessed from the unique npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund and £725,161 from charitable organisations.

Groundwork Leeds is a charity which helps people and organisations make changes in order to create better neighbourhoods, to build skills and job prospects, and to live and work in a greener way.
For more information about Health Through Warmth please call Ben Hatfield, Health Through Warmth Co-ordinator on 0113 391 8336 or to find out if you are eligible for the Green Doctor service, call 0113 2380601.

For more information, visit www.healththroughwarmth.com