Solarsense, one of the UK’s most trusted clean energy advisors and solar power installers, has chosen Bradley Stoke charity The Brightwell, home of The West of England MS Therapy Centre, to be its charity of the year for 2021.
Solarsense and The Brightwell will be working together over the next twelve months to improve the centre’s carbon footprint and reduce its on-going energy costs. This will help to ensure more funding can be allocated to the charity’s mission of helping its members to live an independent life whilst providing a sustainable centre for years to come.
As a charity, The Brightwell has been helping people manage their long-term chronic neurological conditions for more than 35 years and currently supports close to 400 local people. The World Health Organisation found that neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia continue to be the leading cause of disability worldwide. For people who have one of these conditions acclimatising to a different life takes a team, and The Brightwell is an invaluable part of that team for both its members and their families.
The turmoil of 2020 highlighted the need for the charity to become more sustainable, whilst minimising its operating costs. Many of the charity’s normal fundraising activities were cancelled, cash donations ceased entirely, and in-kind donations have faded away. With a wide range of equipment and facilities to run, including a state-of-the-art physiotherapy gym and oxygen therapy suite, the operating costs of The Brightwell are currently in excess of £300,000 per year.
Solarsense will be working closely with the organisation throughout 2021 to identify and implement a number of energy efficiency measures that will cut its operating costs considerably and for the long-term.
The key areas that have been identified in order to help the charity are solar panels and LED lighting to offset the charity’s enormous electricity bills, an air source heat pump to reduce heating costs and charge points for electric vehicles to help those who often struggle to access charge points in the usual locations due to limited mobility.
A specialist team from Solarsense has already installed a refurbished 30kWp solar panel system, which was recently removed from an office building (due for refurbishment). The system will generate 30,000kWh of clean electricity per annum; saving the charity around £4,000 per year. As well as saving the charity vital funds, the clean energy system will offset 7,328kg of carbon emissions per year; significantly improving the organisation’s carbon footprint.
Doro Pasantes, centre manager at The Brightwell said:
“We are absolutely delighted that Steve Barrett and Solarsense have chosen The Brightwell as their charity of the year for 2021. In December a donation of 114 Solar PV panels were installed on the roof of the Therapy Centre. A very smooth and professional installation from start to finish, no mess, no fuss and all over in six business days. We now have a 30kW peak output system which will reduce our reliance on the National Grid and significantly lower our energy bills. Reducing our expenses will enable us to help even more people who live with long-term debilitating neurological conditions.”
With the charity witnessing diminishing donations due to the pandemic and still providing their members the therapies and support needed Solarsense are looking for help with contributions towards this amazing cause. Any donation, big or small will go a long way in ensuring The Brightwell can continue their life saving work.
Solarsense are now fundraising towards Phase 2 of ‘Project Green’, which includes funding a heat pump, LED lighting and EV charge points. If you or your organisation would like to contribute or get involved in any way, please visit thebrightwell.org.uk/project-green, where you will find more information.
Alternatively, if you would like to get involved in any other way, please get in touch with Doro Pasantes, centre manager, who will be delighted with your support.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2021 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (on pages 30 & 31). The magazine is delivered FREE, nine times a year, to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
