Many congratulations to Emma Blackburn who won a Heat Hero award in the Houses of Parliament for her work supporting vulnerable residents access funding to heat their homes across my constituency. These include the Ryedale Energy Saver scheme and North Yorkshire Warm Homes Fund.
Working for Community Interest Company YES Energy Solutions, Emma has played an invaluable role in helping vulnerable customers qualify for funding through the company’s energy efficiency schemes.
Emma won the award for giving extra care and attention to residents who are elderly, unwell, or isolated by helping them apply for funding for energy efficiency measures such as A-rated boilers and insulation. She clearly has a great passion for promoting energy efficiency, which is something I fully support. It really has made a huge difference to a number of people who couldn’t have managed without her.
The Heat Hero awards are an annual event that celebrates individuals that have made a significant commitment to reducing fuel poverty, hosted by fuel poverty charity NEA.
Emma said: “This award is a complete shock and to be invited to the Houses of Parliament to be congratulated is a huge honour. It’s amazing to be surrounded by the other winners who do great work helping people in fuel poverty, and I’m proud that I can be amongst them.”
CEO of YES Energy Solutions, Duncan McCombie said: “Emma is always very modest in her work but her delicate handling of each resident on a case by case basis is a wonderful example of how to be approachable and human on the other end of a phone. Emma’s skill is that she understands people. She knows how to convey advice, how to offer support, and how to make people laugh – all of which is essential in helping vulnerable people in the crisis of fuel poverty.”
For more information on the NEA http://www.nea.org.uk
