The Northern Powergrid Foundation, established by Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network that powers the lives of 8 million people in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is passionate about being able to support communities and creating resilient and thriving communities through access to funds.

Upper Don Community Energy

Upper Don Community Energy, an organisation that aims to promote renewable energy from resources in the Upper Don catchment area for the benefit of the local community and communities of interest received £4,440.07 from the Northern Powergrid Foundation to fund kits that are aimed to improve energy efficiency in homes for those living in fuel poor households in Stocksbridge and Penistone, South Yorkshire.

Upper Don Community Energy’s Community Warming project aims to make the homes of the most disadvantaged of the Upper Don area easier and cheaper to heat and run. The support from the Northern Powergrid Foundation has funded energy efficiency products, such as LED bulbs, foil radiator insulation, door curtains, draft excluders and insulation tape, to be provided to those most disadvantaged in the south Yorkshire area.      

Catherine Cotterill, Director said "Upper Don Community Energy and the community served are grateful for the support from the Northern Powergrid Foundation to help bridge the fuel poverty gap for households in Upper Don and its surrounding areas. The funds have gone towards materials that will enable households to be more energy efficient and save money on fuel bills, a necessity now with the current energy crisis.”

Upper Don Community Energy photo caption L-R: Representatives of Upper Don Community Energy with David Wilkin, Northern Powergrid Foundation Trustee inside of St Ann’s Church Hall, Deepcar. 

Support offered by the Northern Powergrid Foundation

The funding awarded by the Northern Powergrid Foundation so far across two grant windows has awarded over £860,000 to 60 projects across all the charity’s priorities of energy resilience, fuel poverty and network innovation located within all of Northern Powergrid’s regions. The funded communities are delivering unique and exciting projects, most of which have a focus in enabling communities to be self-sufficient and resilient. Projects include the establishment or the expansion of community hubs so that community centres can play a vital role in keeping their community safe and warm during power interruptions with the provision of solar panels, heat pumps and generators. 

David Wilkin, Northern Powergrid Foundation Trustee said: “The Northern Powergrid Foundation is proud to support Upper Don Community Energy in helping to fund kits for people in the local community, who are living in fuel poor households, to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The funding will help the most disadvantaged in communities like the one in Stocksbridge and Penistone to access energy efficient products and save money on heating and running costs.”

More about The Northern Powergrid Foundation

The Northern Powergrid Foundation will officially launch soon. The Foundation has awarded funds to communities across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire served by Northern Powergrid. The Foundation’s mission, complementing Northern Powergrid’s ambition to be a force for good in the communities it serves, is to support communities most affected by changes in the economy, environment, and society because of the shifting energy landscape. This will be achieved by supporting projects focused on helping to tackle energy resilience during emergency events, vulnerability, fuel poverty, levelling the rural divide, innovation, social support, and community collaboration. The Foundation will work with community partners to identify the best ways to create a positive and enduring impact for communities located within Northern Powergrid’s region.

The Foundation will reopen to grant applications in 2024. Community groups interested in finding out more about the Foundation and when to apply for funding up to £20,000 should visit www.northernpowergridfoundation.com.