Following a meeting with Donalda MacKinnon, Lewis’ Area Manager from Hebridean Housing Association (HHP), along with her team of housing officers Angela and Kirstin, there was a shared commitment to support their tenants with ESU assistance. HHP kindly agreed to start informing their tenants in the area, beginning in December with a postal drop to their Mackenzie schemes in Sandwick.
This led to a surge in calls to the ESU before, during, and after Christmas, which we are continuing to assess over the coming months. So far, this collaborative effort has resulted in over 40 tenant sign-ups to assess eligibility for Point and Sandwick’s Fuel Hardship Fund.
The average grant awarded has been £500, primarily directed to energy suppliers, providing significant relief for individuals and families in the area given the high energy costs that remain. Some have also benefited from available winter packs.
Throughout the spring and summer, we aim to extend this collaborative outreach together along with Angela and Norma, who has taken over from Kirstin, to other schemes in the area, many of which have already received ESU flyers through their letterboxes this past year.