THE RURAL COFFEE CARAVAN – WINTER WARMTH
Helping people in Suffolk stay warm and well
Energy Advice
Rural Coffee Caravan Community Engagement Officers can provide specialist energy guidance on organisations, and agencies who can be approached if you are struggling to stay warm in your home. Get in touch with us us by emailing info@ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk and we will pass this on to the engagement office for your area who will contact you at the earliest opportunity.
Our Community Engagement Officers can offer information on:
- Smart Meters and how to go about getting one if you want to change
- The Priority Services Register for extra support when there is a power cut and how to join it
- Being granted support items from our winter appeal, such as slow cookers and wearable blankets.
We can also direct you to organisations that can advise on and provide:
- Heating grants and benefits
- Loans of temporary heaters
- First time free central heating
- Home insulation
- Community Oil buying.
Slow Cooker Appeal
In December 2020 we began an appeal to raise money for slow cookers to help provide Suffolk households in need with the means to cook hot, nutritious meals.
Food poverty and fuel poverty go hand in hand and, with the huge increases in our energy bills, many more people were faced with making difficult choices between heating their homes and eating.
So far, we have given out more than 1,000 slow cookers and this last year, fundraising added another £15,000 to our Winter Appeal, helping to provide slow cookers, wearable blankets and other winter warmth items to even more families and individuals across the county.
Slow cookers use very little power but allow cheaper ingredients to be made into delicious nutritious meals. In fact they can be used for a whole variety of foods and make a very healthy option for anyone experiencing fuel poverty. Warming nutritious meals help the recipients stay well through winter and beyond.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our winter appeal – every donation has helped to make a significant, positive difference.
We are still distributing slow cookers to households in need via the community partners we work with, who are able to gift them directly to the recipients. Get in touch with one of our team on the contact number above if you would like to enquire on behalf of your community.
Slow Cooker Recipes
The Rural Coffee Caravan friend and supporter, Nadine, is a trained chef with many years of experience. She loves to feed people and to see the joy food can bring.
Although Nadine hasn’t lived in Suffolk for over 20 years she still has strong friendship ties to the county and is delighted to help the people of Suffolk during these financially testing times. By offering some great foodie ideas for using the slow cooker, Nadine hopes to inspire our readers to use their own, to cook tasty, wholesome and energy efficient meals.
Click on the image to open a printable PDF containing five of Nadine’s tasty Slow Cooker Recipes: Mac & Cheese, Chicken Fajitas, Salisbury Steak, Rice Pudding and Chocolate Banana Bread.
Warm Welcomes
Is your community thinking about setting up a Warm Welcome space this coming winter? Let us know and we will add you to our map. Below is some useful guidance and resources:
CAS – Really Useful Guide to Warm Rooms (2022) has been created to provide a useful, practical guide to support you as you set up, or consider setting up a venue as a Warm Room or Warm Welcome Space.
This guide has been created by Community Action Suffolk (CAS) in partnership with the Rural Coffee Caravan and is intended to support anyone thinking of creating a Warm Welcome space in their premises. It provides an overview of what you may need to consider, as well as sources of further
information and resources – supporting you to successfully set-up and manage a Warm Warm Welcome space.
Follow the link to open the guide: CAS – Really Useful Guide to Warm Rooms PDF
Money saving expert, Martin Lewis, has teamed up with CILIP, the UK’s library and information association, to back a guide offering advice to libraries and other community buildings who are considering becoming “warm banks”.
Follow the link to open the guide. A Warm Welcome PDF
Useful Links
Follow the links below for more information on cost of living support in Suffolk, winter warmth help and energy saving ideas.
How Emergency Power Cuts Work Information from the ENA about emergency power cuts in the very unlikely event of a national energy shortage.
Suffolk Local Welfare Assistance Scheme – Suffolk County Council Self referral online form for Suffolk households experiencing financial hardship, to gain financial help, guidance and advice.
Suffolk County Council directory of support services and help for Suffolk households through the ongoing cost of living pressures.
Community Oil Fuel Buying Scheme Save money on heating oil via Community Action Suffolk/AF Affinity when your community purchases together.
Eastern Savings and Loans: Oil buying loan Assistance purchasing oil in Suffolk, an interest free loan (up to £500) in order to buy oil payable over 12 months (repayment from £41pm) and supporting to help pay towards future oil purchases.
Help for Households The government is offering help for households. See what cost of living support you could be eligible for.
Warm and Well in Waveney Cost of living support, info and advice in Waveney if you have a disability or long term health condition.
Food Banks in Suffolk Find your nearest. Some food banks may only take referrals but some can be self referred to.
Basic Life Community Pop Up Shops Excess supermarket foods redistributed via community pop up shops. Customers can fill a bag for £2. Directory of locations and invitation to bring the service to your town.
Ipswich Top Up Shops Anglican churches in Ipswich partnering with organisations and local food wholesalers/producers to offer good quality food to local people at discounted prices. £2 p/bag. No referrals or qualifying criteria needed.
Be Kind in Kind – Suffolk Libraries cost of living campaign. Our libraries have always provided a safe, warm sanctuary for anyone to come and spend time in or find support and resources. This winter, they will be bringing in new initiatives to help people stay warm, stay safe and stay connected. Find out what each library is offering.
Ipswich Borough Council are opening 5 warm banks across the town and are looking for volunteers to help support them. If you would like to volunteer your time to support this initiative please email warmbanks@ipswich.gov.uk
Water Care – Anglian Water offer a Priority Services Register (for a range of people, from those with sight/ hearing/ mobility difficulties, to parents with babies under 12months old) and Extra Care Support for those who are worried about staying on top of their bills.
UK Power Network’s Priority Services register – for customers who need additional support or extra care, and support during power cuts.
BBC £1 Dinners The BBC have a large selection of recipes which can be made for £1 a portion to help families on a budget. Click to view all the recipes on the BBC website.
Attendance Allowance & Pension Credit – extra money to help you cover your costs if you’re over State Pension age and living on a low income. Attendance Allowance is money for people of pension age or over who have care needs or need help with activities of daily living. You may be able to get these benefits even if you have other income, savings or assets. Communities Together East Anglia’s Later Life Community can help you see if you are eligible. Billions of £ of these benefits go unclaimed every year, you may be eligible and not realise it.