Bath local-hero Bill Martin has been recognised for his central role in supporting some of the most vulnerable and fuel poor households in the city by the Heat Heroes Awards – held in the Houses of Parliament.
He is a volunteer at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and runs advice surgeries in Bath providing information on energy efficiency, switching suppliers and on any potential discounts.
Shareen Elnagy, one of the energy advisors, said: “Bill is an amicable character who has been an absolute delight to work with since I started at CSE. He always has a smile on his face whilst helping others, showing empathy and commitment to those who need our help, and we would not have been able to reach out to so many households without Bill. On behalf of CSE I would like to say a huge thank you to Bill for all his hard work over the last 6 years.”
It is estimated in these six years, Bill has run more than 50 events and supported circa 750 households. Bill also often carries out home visits to offer support to local residents where he is known for his sound advice and his compassionate nature.
He talks people through their energy bills, demonstrates how to use heating systems, gives advice around mould and damp, and discusses issues around debt. He gives an all-round service, with no cost, to those in the city who need his help the most.
Bill was nominated for the award by Kate Thomas, who said: “We would like to take the opportunity to thank him for all he has done. It should be recognised how central his role has been to supporting some of the most vulnerable and fuel poor households in our area.”
With Bill set to retire, the recognition by the Heat Heroes Awards truly is a testament to his valuable and important work in the community over the last six years.
Wera Hobhouse MP for Bath said: “It was such a pleasure to meet with Bill and celebrate all his hard work and commitment to the Bath community. This award rightly recognises all the help and support he has given over the years to our city, and I wish him well with his retirement plans.”
The Heat Heroes Awards are open to individuals across England and Wales and celebrate those who go above and beyond to get the recognition they deserve for helping people in their community live in warmer homes.
Held in partnership between Vaillant and the charity National Energy Action, this year there were some very strong candidates, and the judges selected 17 worthy winners from across the UK.
Not-for-profit organisations including local authorities, health and social care agencies, voluntary and statutory agencies and community groups were encouraged to nominate staff and volunteers for the award.
Maria Wardrobe, Director of Communications and External Relations at National Energy Action commented: “Each year I am bowled over by the passion and tenacity that our Heat Heroes demonstrate, always going above and beyond what is expected of them intheir job or as unpaid volunteers. It was a delight to meet them and be able to say well done and thank you on behalf of those they help.”
Mark Wilkins, Head of External Affairs at Vaillant said: “Vaillant is proud to continue supporting NEA in its goal of tackling fuel poverty across the UK and the Heat Heroes Awards scheme is a great opportunity to recognise and reward individuals who have made a significant contribution to tackling fuel poverty in their local community and workplace.
As a manufacturer of energy efficient heating technology, Vaillant is committed to finding innovative solutions to help make the UK’s building stock cleaner, greener and more affordable to heat.”
