Metro Mayor Dan Norris has stepped in to ensure a vital helpline offering residents advice on how to stay warm keeps running during the cold winter months

West of England-based national charity, the Centre for Sustainable Energy is experiencing a 4-fold demand for support as more people struggle with their energy bills, and feared they would no longer be able to afford to run their freephone telephone service. CSE had subsidised the service using its chartable reserves for the last five years but is no longer able to sustain this.

The team at the Centre for Sustainable Energy support local residents with energy saving advice as well as help to insulate and improve cold draughty homes, support for people in debt to their gas or electricity supplier and distribute emergency payments - including to locals on pre-payment meters - to help people keep the heating on.

The £50,000 cash injection from Metro Mayor Dan Norris will support their dedicated telephone advice service - completely free for anyone to call up – so the much-loved group can continue to support thousands keep warm at home and slash their sky-high bills.

On a visit to the Centre for Sustainable Energy, Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: "Everyone knows that energy bills have really rocketed and as Winter starts to bite this is really hitting home. There's a real cost of living crisis this Winter. That's why organisations like the Centre for Sustainable Energy have seen demand for advice around energy significantly increase. I was shocked when I heard their services were under threat so I'm pleased a £50,000 cash injection from my West of England Combined Authority means locals in need of a helping hand can get top advice and support on managing their bills and keeping warm through these tough winter months."

Centre For Sustainable Energy Director of Household Energy Services added: "We are facing our toughest winter ever, so this crisis support funding from the West of England Combined Authority comes at a vital time for us. This will enable us to keep our phone lines open."