Social housing tenants collaborate to cut bills

Scheme trialled to help tenants save money and reduce water and food waste

Social housing tenants in the West Midlands are to get training in collaborative consumption, using less energy, healthy eating on a budget, cutting travel costs and budgeting skills.

The pilot training scheme, run by the charity Marches Energy Agency for tenants at Wrekin Housing Trust in Shropshire, is aimed at reducing the waste of money, water and food. It is funded with £10,500 from the Skills Funding Agency’s Adult and Community Learning Fund.

The pilot will be followed by a ‘train the trainer’ course for housing association and local authority staff and resident volunteers.

The Fund has already supported a plethora of projects that seek to encourage independence, personal development, mental and physical health and wellbeing, digital inclusion, democratic engagement, social cohesion and stronger families and communities.

Kris McGowan, senior project manager at Marches Energy Agency, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for housing association tenants to gain the skills and knowledge needed to live well within their financial means and to make a positive contribution to the environment.”

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