Friday 4 September 2009

Climate change cash for OCA

Published in The JOHN O'GROAT JOURNAL
Friday, 4 September, 2009

ENERGY services provided by a Caithness community organisation are to be expanded thanks to Scottish Government funding to the tune of £72,200.

Ormlie Community Association will be putting some of the money towards a new thermal imaging service, designed to reduce carbon emissions, which is to be launched later this month. It is expected that the funding will help remove 2619 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere.

Welcoming the announcement, Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Rob Gibson said:

"This a great award, it will make a real difference to people throughout Caithness. I have long advocated the increased use of thermal cameras for housing to see where heat is being lost. This initiative will help raise awareness of actions people can take to prevent energy loss and save money.

"The Scottish Government is committed to cutting carbon and increasing living standards in every part of the country, their climate-change fund is an example of this and I look forward to the changes it will bring."

Manager of Ormlie Community Association Lorna Simpson was she was "absolutely delighted" with the award, explaining that the funding would go towards the expansion of Caithness Energy Advice, an offshoot of the association.

The local advice service is presently in the process of employing new recruits - in total the energy project will involve four members of staff.

Mrs Simpson said: "People are far more aware of their heating costs and we can give them help and advice on how to reduce their fuel bills."

She added that CEA was seeing more people suffering from fuel poverty.

The local project is one of 37 across Scotland to make a successful application to the Scottish Government Climate Challenge Fund.

In Orkney, the Eday Partnership received £46,851 to help islanders increase sustainability and reduce carbon emissions.

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