Communities Matter hosted the Horsham Energy Pop-up Shop on behalf of Horsham District Council as part of the Big Energy Saving Network initiative. For six days in March 2015 energy experts were on hand to provide independent practical advice on how to cut costs on energy bills, give advice on switching suppliers and ways to be more energy efficient at home. It’s free and independent advice - and saves money! It ran from Monday 23 March to Saturday 28 March 10am to 4pm - in Swan Walk Shopping Centre, Horsham.

Councillor Claire Vickers, Cabinet Member for Living and Working Communities from Horsham District Council, said, “Together will our colleagues in Public Health we are investing £4,000 in this event. We remain dedicated to tackling the effects of fuel poverty. Regrettably, it is often the most vulnerable in our community who suffer and we are therefore really pleased to be supporting the district’s residents by facilitating this event.”

Ollie Pendered, Director of Communities Matter said, “We are saving people between £50 and £500 a year on their energy bills at each one of the pop-up Energy events we have organised across Sussex this last year. And those on a standard energy tariff can expect to save around £200 by switching. We hope to do the same for the people of Horsham. All you have to do is bring your energy bills along.

He added, “Although open to everyone, we are particularly keen to reach as many vulnerable people as we can, and so if you know someone who would benefit from this free service, please encourage them to come and see us or give them our details so that they can contact us directly.”

The campaign to make a significant impact on reducing fuel poverty has been fully supported by the Big Energy Saving Network (BESN) and funded by DECC since March 2014. There are now sixteen BESN Champions across Kent and Sussex, whose main focus is doing outreach work on fuel poverty. And in just one year over £375,000 has been saved on people’s energy bills.