Grants available for fuel poverty and carbon emissions reduction projects in Bath and surrounding areas

Picture credit is to The Hive, Community Fridge.

Local projects cutting carbon or tackling fuel poverty can now apply to the Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE) Fund grant programme.

This popular grant programme is back for its eleventh year, thanks to funding from BWCE as part of the work it does in supporting local communities.

Applications for grants of up to £5,000 are invited before the 30 October 2025 deadline.

Award-winning BWCE was set up in 2010 to own and develop renewable energy projects and has since become one of the largest community-owned energy companies in the UK. As a Community Benefit Society it gives surplus income to the BWCE Fund, which is administered by Quartet Community Foundation, giving grants to community groups and local environmental organisations.

Earlier this year 10 projects in or near B&NES received £40,500 in funding to address fuel poverty or lower carbon emissions. These grants supported:

• Energy efficiency in community buildings and transport through more

efficient insulation in buildings (The Hive, Peasedown St John); creation of

sheltered & secure cycle parking (Bath City Farm); and the replacement of single

glazed windows with double glazing (High Littleton Scout Group)

• Environmental Education through community engagement events to involve

more people in reducing carbon, waste and landfill ( Bath Share & Repair);

updating and expanding the library of things for local people on low incomes

(Time Bank Plus)

• Addressing food & fuel poverty and reducing food waste supporting

community meals at the Lighthouse Centre in Twerton, which are made using

surplus food that would otherwise go to waste (Bath Community Kitchen);

helping fund a solar generator for use by the orchard and Grow Timsbury

(Corston Community Orchard); provision of household audits for the group’s

pantry members experiencing economic hardship, to identify energy saving

measures and provide energy saving equipment (Oasis Hub Bath); create an

accessible vegetable growing area to reduce food miles and enable greater

access to gardening and fresh food for the group’s members with learning

disabilities (SWALLOW)

Jane Wildblood, Chair of Trustees for BWCE Fund, said: “Taking action at the local level to tackle the climate emergency has never been more important. We are very proud of all the local organisations we have funded so far to reduce carbon emissions and/or tackle fuel poverty. And we are very grateful to BWCE for the money it awards to the Fund. Since 2014, the Fund has made 111 grants worth over £350,000”.

Quartet Community Foundation’s Philanthropy Manager, Angela Emms said: “We’re delighted to continue working with the BWCE Fund. As charities are facing both increasing costs and increasing demands, this grant programme has the double benefit of supporting projects which reduce carbon emissions or tackle fuel poverty. Carbon reduction does not just relate to energy projects; it might include local food, sustainable transport or waste reduction or indeed any activity that reduces carbon emissions. This year we would particularly welcome applications relating to fuel poverty/affordable warmth, ensuring that everyone can access and afford energy this winter”.

• Case study – Cavity Wall Insulation for The Hive, Peasedown St John

  
  

The Hive Community Centre in Peasedown StJohn received a grant of £5,000 towards Cavity Wall Insulation. The aim is to ensure that the Hive is a warm and welcoming place for people especially in the winter months. The team also want the Hive to be an energy efficient building both to reduce our carbon footprint and to reduce the energy bills. This will help to keep the doors open at the Hive for the benefit of the community.

Joy from The Hive Community Centre, Peasedown St John said:

“We run a Community Fridge and a Food Pantry at the Hive, helping to feed struggling families and keeping good food from going to landfill. At our weekly Food Pantry we offer other support with the attendance of Citizen's Advice Bureaux every week and Clean Slate once a month. There are a wide range of activities running from The Hive including Youth Work three times a week, exercise groups wellbeing, sports, bereavement groups and our pre-school play area is well used by parents and carers. Keeping our energy costs down and reducing our carbon footprint is so important to keeping the Hive going and to being able to support people in our community who are struggling.

We are very grateful for the support we have received from the Bath and West Community Energy Fund”.

Find out more and apply before 30 October

Groups are invited to apply to the BWCE Fund grant programme before 1pm on Thursday 30 October 2025. Interested projects need to apply through the Quartet Community Foundation website: https://quartetcf.org.uk/grants/bath-west-community-energy-grant/

Full details of the grants awarded in previous years can be found on BWCE’s website https://www.bwce.coop/community-fund/