Simply keeping warm in winter is a challenge for many people in Fife, who are already struggling to afford increasing and expensive fuel bills. In addition, the cold winter months threaten ill health and isolation.
35% of households in Fife are classed as living in fuel poverty, spending more than 10% of their annual income trying to heat their homes. This can mean choosing between cooking hot meals and heating their homes.
According to the National Record for Scotland, in 2016/17, an additional 163 people died due to winter-related causes in Fife.
Greener Kirkcaldy (registered charity SC041412) and St. Andrews Environmental Network (registered charity SC045253) work to help people stay warm, save energy and save money. Last year we helped over 1800 households in Fife by visiting people in their homes and providing free energy advice.
We’re appealing for your donations to help us support those in need to stay warm over the winter. Your donations will be used to provide vital measures including low-energy electric heaters, electric blankets, warm thermal curtains, reflective radiator panels and emergency fuel top ups.
Any donation, however large or small, will help.
· £15 could buy a low-energy halogen heater
· £20 could heat a 1-bedroom flat for a week
· £50 could pay for thermal curtains for two rooms
Do you receive the Winter Fuel Payment, but don’t need it? Why not donate it?
How you can help keep people warm in Fife this winter
Make a one-off donation via debit/credit card or Paypal on our online donations page or set up a monthly direct debit.
Send a cheque made payable to ‘Greener Kirkcaldy’ to Greener Kirkcaldy, 252a High Street, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1LA. Signing up to Gift Aid means you can add 25p extra to each pound you give at no cost to you. Please complete and return this Gift Aid Form along with your cheque.
Call 01592 858458 to make a telephone donation
Pop into our High Street Hub (254a High Street, Kirkcaldy), Wednesday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm to donate in cash.
P.S. a donation now will help ensure vulnerable people in Fife stay warm this coming winter!
"Too many people have to make unacceptable choices in how to heat their homes. I am delighted to support Greener Kirkcaldy and St. Andrews Environmental Network, who are working in partnership at the forefront of tackling fuel poverty by providing a free home energy advice service across Fife. Please give generously and help us keep homes warm this winter”
Councillor Judy Hamilton
Betty’s Story
Last winter we visited Betty, an elderly woman living in a sheltered housing flat. Her home was very cold and draughty and she had no credit left on her prepayment meter. She was very distressed as she would not receive her pension for a few days so was unable to top up.
We gave Betty an emergency top up to keep her going until she received her pension; this also saved her from having to walk to the paypoint in the snow. We also provided thermal curtains to stop the draughts in her home, and help to keep the heat in, and some reflective radiator panels to the push heat back into the room from the radiators.
“Thank you for your help. Without you I would have had a very cold winter. I can't believe there are people like you out there to help people like me!”
