New Local Campaign Helps People Stay Warm and Well This Winter

Bristol City Council’s Public Health team decided to team up with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE). This is to launch a campaign designed to improve how warm and healthy people are this winter.

Bristol City Council’s Public Health team decided to team up with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE). This is to launch a campaign designed to improve how warm and healthy people are this winter.

In Bristol alone, there are over 150 deaths each year linked the drop in temperature and difficulties keeping warm. In a lot of cases it was preventable with the right advice and support which the Centre for Sustainable Energy can provide for free.

Funded by both the Public Health Bristol and the CSE it will run throughout November. It will involve 94 pharmacies in the campaign across the city as they are ideally placed to reach citizens at risk of cold-related illness.

The campaign will be promoted in the pharmacies through the use of publicity materials including posters, leaflets and scratch-cards. These will detail services that can reduce bills and make homes warmer. The materials will promote services offered by CSE’s Home Energy Team, as well as support on financial issues from Talking Money and the services of WE Care & Repair.

Councillor Daniella Radice, Assistant Mayor for Neighbourhoods with responsibility for Public Health, said: “Each year in Bristol people are dying unnecessarily from the cold weather and this campaign is designed to help prevent this. Living in a cold home can make health conditions worse and puts additional strain on the healthcare system. To stay well, it is important to stay warm and there are a range of services out there that people are entitled to use. With this pharmacy campaign we’re bringing these services together and signposting to the help available, reaching out to the most vulnerable people in our society.”

Displays of advice materials are to be created by Bristol’s 10 Healthy Living Pharmacies as they take a more hands on approach to the campaign. In addition to this, interactive scratch cards will be on display to encourage people to call for support if their home is cold, damp or mouldy, or if they are finding it difficult to pay the bills.

Centre for Sustainable Energy's Phillip Morris is coordinating the project and explained how it will work: "A single phone number will link callers to the services provided by all three organisations. So, if a visitor to the pharmacy is struggling with debt and is under heating their home because of this, they could call the advice number and be connected to someone at Talking Money for advice on how to manage and remove this debt; the same person might also be put in touch with Care & Repair for help fitting draught proofing, to warm their home and reduce their energy use and bills.”

For more information about how to stay warm this winter click here