B&Q Launches B&Q Energy Savers Initiative With Jermaine Jenas

• B&Q Energy Savers launches today, a new initiative that shows how easy it is to save energy at home, whilst supporting community spaces across the country

• B&Q teamed up with ex-England football player and TV presenter Jermaine Jenas to help Welling United FC with a clubhouse in urgent need of some ‘ELC’ (Energy Loving Care)

• B&Q is calling on the nation to nominate their local community space to be in with a chance of receiving crucial energy-saving support from the B&Q Energy Savers team - head to the B&Q Instagram page to find out more
  
  
• Three lucky community spaces will be selected to receive help from the B&Q Energy Savers team, and the second phase of the initiative will see dozens more community spaces supported with energy saving help 

Today sees the launch of B&Q Energy Savers, a new initiative by the home improvement retailer that helps community spaces become more energy efficient, showcasing simple tips that people can also implement at home to save energy. 

The B&Q announcement follows an ‘urgent plea’ to the Prime Minister from a coalition of more than 200 sports governing bodies, health organisations and top athletes last week, asking for help with rising energy costs, to provide reassurance on the future grassroots spaces. The situation for both community spaces and households has been further aggravated this week, with the news of reduced government support from 1^st April, resulting in higher energy bills.

Owing to the current situation and as we continue to experience cold weather, B&Q has kickstarted its energy saving initiative by teaming up with ex-England football player and presenter Jermaine Jenas to visit Southeast London football club, Welling United, to help them save energy. The team installed a number of energy-saving measures and offered advice on how they can cut energy use, detailed in a new video (link). 

As part of today’s announcement, B&Q is calling on the nation to enter the community spaces in their local area in need of some energy-saving advice, to win valuable help from the B&Q Energy Savers team. The B&Q Energy Savers initiative will roll out across the year, with the aim of helping dozens of community locations reduce energy costs and make other general improvements. 

Jermaine Jenas, ex-England football player and presenter, said: “I spent a lot of time as a kid at clubs like Welling United FC – they really are so integral to the community. From bonding over team activities, to engaging young children in sport, these spaces have both a social and wellbeing impact, which is why it’s so important to support them. The pressure community spaces are under with rising energy bills is huge. The B&Q Energy Savers initiative not only helps provide some reassurance for community spaces, but also offers advice on how people can reduce energy use in their own homes.” 

Paul Whitehead, Chairman of Welling United FC, added; “We’re delighted to be involved with the B&Q Energy Savers initiative as its first project. As chairman, my goal is to ensure that Welling United is a hub for our community, bringing together people who love our sport. Lots of community spaces like ours are struggling with bills at the moment, so we’re grateful to the B&Q Energy Savers initiative for showing us some quick and easy fixes that will help us to save energy, at the club and in our own homes!” 

Chris Bargate, B&Q Director, says: “Both community spaces and households are feeling the pinch when it comes to rising energy bills, so now is an important time to get ahead of the price hikes and become more energy efficient.  

“B&Q Energy Savers aims to bring to life some simple ways to reduce energy use at home, that aren’t expensive, while our colleagues help community spaces across the country. 

“To make it easy for customers to discover the most effective ways to reduce energy use in their homes, we also offer the B&Q Energy Saving Service. This service offers free, personalised guidance to help customers build an action plan for their home. We can help with simple and more complicated projects through our own products and services or through our network of partners - from replacing your boiler with BOXT to installing solar panels with our newest partner Egg.” 

As part of the campaign, B&Q is calling on the nation to enter community spaces in their local area in need of some energy-saving advice, to win help from the B&Q Energy Savers team. The B&Q Energy Savers team will then randomly select three of the nominated spaces to receive energy loving care. People can head to the B&Q Instagram page and follow the instructions on the Energy Savers grid post, to enter their local community space. For those community spaces unsuccessful in this round, the second phase of the Energy Savers initiative will see B&Q supporting many more community spaces over the next year. 

B&Q also recently launched its Energy Saving Service, offering personalised guidance, making it easier to know exactly which products people need for their home and how to get work completed, to save energy. What’s more, with prices nailed down on 100 of their best-selling products for 100 days, without worrying about prices going up, B&Q has everything needed for energy-saving jobs in-store and at diy.com. 

Visit B&Q’s Instagram to nominate your local community space in need of energy-saving help, terms and conditions apply. 

B&Q Energy Saver’s top 10 tips to give your home some ELC (Energy Loving Care):

1. Remember: always keep in mind the three key ways to save energy: reduce energy use, control energy use, prevent energy loss 
   
   
2. Install insulation: If a home has no loft insulation, installing 270mm of new insulation could save up to £355 and 610kg of carbon emissions a year (according to Energy Saving Trust) 
   
   
3. Use a hot water tank jacket: Insulating your hot water tank with a tank jacket to keep water warmer for longer can save you £305 per year (according to Energy Saving Trust)
   
   
4. Prevent energy loss: Ensure your home is insulated via lagging cylinders, tanks and pipes – the average uninsulated house loses around 35% of its heat through the walls, 25% through the roof, 25% through draughty doors and windows, and 15% through the floor (according to Energy Saving Trust) 
   
   
5. Bleed radiators: Make sure to bleed radiators in the home to make them more efficient. When radiators aren’t working effectively, it’ll take longer to heat the home and will therefore waste energy 
   
   
6. Turn off appliances: Turning appliances off when you’re not using them could save £65 and up to 40kg of carbon emissions every year (according to Energy Saving Trust) 
   
   
7. Fit draught excluders: Fit draught excluders around window frames, keyholes and under doors using self-adhesive foam strips, as well as installing letterbox covers to reduce draughts
   
   
8. Close doors and windows: Keeping doors and windows closed can also be an easy way to keep the heat in 
   
   
9. Implement LED bulbs: Make the change to LED light bulbs, they will cut your lighting bill by around 50%, saving £65 a year and reducing carbon emissions by 40kg a year (according to Energy Saving Trust) 
   
   
10. Use reflective radiator foils: Reflective radiator foils can reduce heating costs by reflecting heat back into the room that would otherwise be lost through the wall – great for radiators on cold outside walls 

Source : B&Q

Images : Jermaine Jenas, ex-England football player and presenter

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