A Cornish charity has received crucial energy-saving support from B&Q after Cornish locals nominated it as part of B&Q’s Energy Savers initiative.

Based in Truro at the Perran-ar-Worthal Village Memorial Hall, the Perranwell Centre is described as the beating heart of the local community, delivering a range of services for the benefit of Perranarworthal Parish and the surrounding district. The centre serves as a warm and welcoming space for local residents to pursue their passions – from theatre, to music, sport and history groups - and connect with like-minded individuals.

B&Q Energy Savers was set up in the midst of a period of rising energy bills earlier this year, following an “urgent plea” for help from the Prime Minister amid the difficulties that community spaces have faced in recent months. Higher energy bills and potential funding cuts have posed a threat to the ability of community spaces to provide much needed services to their local area. B&Q’s initiative aims to support these spaces across the UK to become more energy efficient and showcase how easy it is to save energy at home. 

B&Q called on the nation to nominate community spaces in their local area that they felt would benefit from the help and advice of the B&Q Energy Savers team. After being selected as one of the winners, the B&Q Energy Savers worked with the Perranwell Centre to help cut their costs by donating £2,000, which will see the team install energy efficient lighting at the centre. The donation will allow the Perranwell Centre to continue serving the local community, thanks to reduced energy bills. 

John Frankland, chair of the Perranwell Centre, said: “We’re thrilled to have been nominated by our local community as part of B&Q’s Energy Savers campaign. Perran-ar-Worthal has the highest elderly population in Cornwall with no residential care unit, so the Perranwell Centre is truly essential in providing care for our local community. Thanks to B&Q’s donation, we can reduce our bills to keep on running activities like the weekly Coffee Stop social group, The Dementia group and the Wellbeing drop in that do so much to support the local community. In addition we host a wide variety of activities from Badminton and Bowls to Dance groups and the W. I. all of which mean we are a vital community hub.”

Paul Carroll, Head of Services Development, said: “We’re pleased that through our energy savers campaign we were able to play a part in helping the Perranwell Centre to continue enriching the local Perran-ar-worthal community with the crucial services they provide. 

“Both community spaces and households have felt the pinch when it comes to rising energy bills, so now is an important time to become more energy efficient. To support with this we launched our energy saving service so customers can have access to free, personalised energy advice and a 1-1 consultation with an energy saving advisor, available at diy.com.”

In March, as part of the launch of the Energy Savers initiative, B&Q teamed up with ex-England football player and presenter Jermaine Jenas when he visited Southeast London football club, Welling United, to help show them some easy and efficient ways to save energy. 

B&Q has everything you could need for those energy-saving jobs in-store and at diy.com. Earlier this year, B&Q also launched its Energy Saving Service, offering personalised guidance to customers and making it easier to establish which products and tips they can use to help save energy at home.