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  • Home
  • Invest
  • What we offer
    • Consultancy Support
    • Low Carbon Technologies
    • Financing
  • Energy cafes
  • Projects
    • Devas Club
    • DRCA lighting
    • The Parent House
    • New Unity
    • Islington Sea Cadets
    • CREW Solar
  • About Us
    • Meet the team
    • Partners
    • Join us
    • Documents
  • Blog
    • Newsletter
  • Eco-living
  • Contact

newsletter

APRIL NEWSLETTER

6/4/2020

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*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*
Firstly, we wanted to say we have been truly humbled by the community response to COVID-19 and have made a conscious effort to clear the airways somewhat to make room for our community partners, spreading the word on their good deeds. But that doesn’t mean we are out of action… far from it!

CREW has always been a remote operation. Our directors and volunteers work from home and have made great use of Zoom and Slack to keep everything ticking over in the background. We are still managing our transformation projects from our respective homes while boosting our behind-the-scenes efforts so we can continue to benefit the climate and our community now and in the future.

We’ve already repurposed some of our funding, swapping project phases around to adapt to the changing circumstances. We are currently focusing our efforts on our marketing plan and a new business model, as well as holding our very first online AGM on 31 March.

Naturally, our community outreach projects in schools, community centres and libraries have been put on hold for the time being. We work with groups from vulnerable communities and their safety and wellbeing is of the utmost importance. With that in mind, we know people still need our help
– be that in the form of energy advice or just a morale boost. So, we will be sharing regular tips and links to support for those in need. Starting with this newsletter!

We will be monitoring the situation closely and adapting best we can. Your support for us and our community partners at this time is hugely appreciated. We hope we can return the favour and keep things upbeat with our updates, tips and blog posts.

Nothing can stop us from interacting with our community and meeting our climate objectives, together!

Small tweaks to help your home work for you! 

While our energy advice sessions are currently on hold, we still wanted to offer you tips and advice. As we all settle in and get used to spending more time at home  we are bound to see an increase in our energy usage. The good news is there are a few small things we can do to help keep the bills down:

People power - Switch provider! 
When was the last time you changed your energy provider or deal? Can't remember? Time to get out the laptop and look into some deals that could save you hundreds of pounds. Check out the Citizens Advice comparison site and see how much you could save. You can do everything online or over the phone. When we help people switch at our energy cafés. they save on average £250 per year
– well worth 10 minutes of your time!

□️ Staying warm - Turn down the thermostat
Thankfully we know the warm weather is fast approaching, but for those of us still in 'central heating' mode... Turning down your thermostat by just one degree can save around £80 a year.

Smart office attitude - Only heat the areas of your home that you are using
In the same way, if you spend most of the day in one workspace or living area, turn the heaters in other rooms down or off, turning them back on in the evening when you need them.

Cups of tea - Don’t overfill the kettle! 
We don’t know about you, but our tea and coffee breaks are keeping us going as we work from home and/or try to escape the kids (who said that?). Only fill the kettle with the amount of water that you need (rather than filling it each time) and save around £6 a year.
 
 Working from home - Unplug your laptop at night 
Leaving your laptop plugged in all night turns it into an energy vampire, draining energy that it doesn’t need! At the end of the day, switch off your laptop and unplug it from the mains supply. Leaving a laptop computer plugged in, even when it’s fully charged, can use 4.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a week, or about 235 kilowatt-hours a year.
Extra help with bills
 
While this hasn't yet been centralised, and different suppliers are offering varying advice, emergency government measures are now in place to ensure vulnerable households have a continuous supply of energy.

Disconnections from prepayment and credit meters have been suspended to ensure vulnerable customers who may fall into debt throughout the Coronavirus crisis remain supplied with energy while in self-isolation.

If you use a prepayment meter and are worried about your electricity or gas being disconnected if you can’t go out to top up, speak to your supplier for extra support. You can:
  • Nominate someone to top up for you
  • Get emergency credit added to your account
  • Get a pre-loaded top-up card to keep your supply running
  • Energy suppliers are offering other forms of relief, such as debt repayments and bill payments being reassessed, reduced or paused where necessary
We'll post regular updates on the situation on social media. 
Read the government report on energy supply here
#MakeDoCREW
 
We know a lot is going on at the minute and you should by no means feel pressured to be productive. But, we also know some of you will be itching for a new project to keep your mind off things, or to make the most of all your newfound free time! That’s why we’ve been posting regular DIY projects to help you save money and energy around the house.
 
This is especially important now that we are all spending more and more time indoors. So, if you have already implemented all our quick-wins above, why not try something more crafty?
 
So far, we’ve shared tips for DIY radiator reflectors and upcycled draught excluders. If you’re getting involved, we’d love to see your creations! Tag us on social media @crewenergyldn.
See more #MakeDoCREW
We’ve been completely blown away by the resilience shown by our local community throughout this period of social distancing. We wanted to highlight just some of the amazing things being achieved across south-west London, be it local groups helping the vulnerable, small businesses diversifying in the current climate and more.

Here are just a few of our highlights:
Zéro Shop London
 
Zéro is a zero-waste shop based in Merton Abbey Mills. They offer a simple alternative to excessive single-use packaging consumption with a wide range of ready-to-go bulk items. In the current COVID-19 crisis, they have decided to close the shop to walk-in customers but they are still taking online orders for collection and delivery!
Perfect if you are making an effort to stay home, but don't want to sacrifice your plastic-free shopping.
 

Covid Mutual Aid

Covid Mutual Aid UK is a group of volunteers supporting local community groups organising mutual aid throughout the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK. They focus on providing resources and connecting people to their nearest local groups, willing volunteers and those in need.
 
They recognise that injustice doesn’t affect everyone equally and whilst we’re all at risk of COVID-19, there are some people who are more vulnerable and need greater support from the community.

Merton Voluntary Service Council
 
MVSC are working with Merton Council and the voluntary sector, including fellow CREW partners Age UK Merton, Commonside Community Development Trust, Wimbledon Guild and Merton Giving to put together a volunteer taskforce to help those who need it most. In week one alone, they delivered 89 care packages to local households.
Can you help? Search @MertonConnected on Twitter to find out more!

Need help or know someone that does? Email help@mvsc.co.uk or call 0208 685 2272.
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CREW is a registered Community Benefit Society with the Financial Conduct Authority. The society’s register number is 7286.