We proudly took home the eco-friendly trophy for Community Energy Organisation of the Year (S/M)
Just this past Friday Nov 25th, Community Energy England, the voice for the community energy sector, gathered members, partners and friends at Bristol’s M Shed this past Friday 22 November for its annual, national awards, which celebrate organisations large and small for their contributions towards localised and sustainable energy. As a community interest company bringing low cost, bespoke thermal imaging technology to residents in the South West, and for free to households experiencing fuel poverty, CHEESE was proud to be a nominee for the awards.
CHEESE Project CEO and founder Mike Andrews accepted the award, was delighted with the honour, and thanked the organisers and sponsors for their recognition, as well as CHEESE’s brilliant team, saying:
“CHEESE would not be here, working in Bristol and Bath, without 10 years’ effort by our dedicated team – often working pro-bono – developing our thermal imaging software, hardware, training and survey protocol; and our previous funders – including Energy for Tomorrow, the Bristol Energy Cooperative, and Retrofit West! We have surveyed over a thousand homes and have over 50 five-star reviews on Trustpilot.
Engaging people to reduce energy loss from homes is a challenge, but we have cracked it – by using community contacts combined with our own purpose-built technology. Our Heat view surveys get people started on that journey at very low cost, accurately targeting their problems using basic DIY skills and as little as £100 for materials. They benefit at once from warmer, healthier homes.”
Mike Andrews also spoke of the team’s desire to continue The CHEESE Project’s success, seeking out new partners locally and nationally, and new funding to offer more free surveys to those in need. The award will help to raise CHEESE’s profile, which in turn will help us to provide more surveys for free and at low cost, and to help keep more homes warm.
On the night, 36 nominees were in contention for 11 awards, and you can browse the winners’ case studies over at CEE. Many of the guests had been present at the Community Energy England Regional Conference (South West) at the same venue earlier in the day, and were energised by the number of likeminded and inspirational speakers.
Community Energy England shared:
“Community energy is a cornerstone of our journey towards a just and net-zero future, and tonight we gather to celebrate the outstanding contributions propelling this vital sector forward. As the voice of this movement, Community Energy England is committed to championing the sector and ensuring that people and communities are placed at the heart of the energy transformation.”
Sponsors of the Community Energy Awards are: Lendology, Triodos Bank, ES Catapult, and supporting partners, the South West Net Zero Hub.
About Community Energy England:
Community Energy England (CEE), founded in 2014, is the leading voice for the community energy sector in England, representing over 300 organizations delivering community-led energy projects. CEE works to enable the sector to thrive by providing resources, facilitating knowledge-sharing, and building capacity through initiatives like the UK Energy Learning Network.
CEE advocates for supportive policy and regulatory frameworks, engaging with government, think tanks, and stakeholders to address barriers to growth and highlight community energy’s positive impacts.
