Last year the Coddenham Centre embarked upon a strategy to support the regional and national commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Centre and its Charitable  Incorporated Organisation felt despite other challenges, it had a responsibility to the community it served, to lead by example.

We successfully replaced (a failed) fossil fuel heating system with air source heat pumps, introduced and improved insulation, while adopting a Carbon Charter, introducing EV charge points and other measures.

We are now seeking written support for the next phase, that of replacing all our electricity supplies with solar energy. Alongside the environmental imperative there is now of course an economic challenge, shared by many.

Our electricity costs are expected to quadruple in March 2023, when our existing fixed rate comes to an end. We plan instead to meet our annual consumption of 30,000kWh from solar power, backed by battery storage, making the Coddenham Centre 100% self-sufficient in energy supplies.

We have been successful in securing half of the ambitious £60,000 funding through the generous help of the Lottery Fund, Mid Suffolk District Council and other supporters. We are now seeking to raise the balance.

If you know of our work or are hopefully users of the Centre, we are inviting your endorsement of our ‘Solar for the Centre’ project by writing;

•           Supporting our contribution to community life since 2019.
•           Endorsing our environmental strategy and the adoption of renewable energy at the Coddenham Centre.
•           Adding any optional comment, you of course may wish to offer. Your message can of course be brief!

Your note can be emailed to enquiries@thecoddenhamcentre.co.uk marking the subject as FAO Valencia Communities Fund Reference ID2347.  Your details are only used for the application process. The deadline for replies is the 17th October 2022.

We’ve already received some wonderful endorsements and support from those we have contacted.

If you’d like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact the chair, andrew.macpherson@thecoddenhamcentre.co.uk or call.