Drax Foundation donates £300k to combat UK fuel poverty

Three grants of £100,000 donated to the Fuel Bank Foundation, National Energy Action and ALIenergy – charities working to prevent fuel poverty in the UK and support those who are affected by it.

The Drax Foundation, the corporate foundation of the renewable energy company Drax Group (Drax), has donated £300,000 to three organisations dedicated to addressing fuel poverty in the UK.

The new funding from the Foundation will help to support those affected by household energy insecurity in areas across the UK in which Drax operates.

Fuel Bank Foundation (£100,000):

The Fuel Bank Foundation is an independent charity that aims to support families who pay in advance for energy.

The grant will focus on extending the charity’s presence around the communities in which Drax operates. The funding will benefit around 3,600 people in 1,400 households who will receive crisis Fuel Bank financial help, alongside advice and support. The grant will also allow the scaling up of the Fuel Bank Foundation’s ‘Heat Fund’ which provides support for off-grid heated homes.

Argyll, Lomond and the Islands Energy Agency (ALIenergy) (£100,000):

ALIenergy operates in the Argyll and Bute region of Scotland – home to Drax’s pumped hydro storage power station at Cruachan. The charity promotes sustainable energy use and renewable energy generation, to reduce carbon emissions and address fuel poverty.

The grant will provide the charity with funds to roll out its STEM Energy Education programme to cover the whole of Argyll and Bute. The programme aims to encourage school pupils to take up STEM subjects with STEM related activities and events The education scheme covers STEM subjects generally alongside a focus on energy efficiency, renewable and sustainable energy for secondary school pupils.

National Energy Action (NEA) (£95,000):

NEA is the national charity seeking to end fuel poverty, working across the UK with its sister charity Energy Action Scotland, to ensure that everyone can afford to live in a warm, dry home.

NEA will utilise funding from the Drax Foundation to develop and deliver an education programme across the UK in areas where both NEA and Drax operate. The programme will be primarily targeted at secondary schools, as well as schools and academies with alternative provisions, to provide young people with information about keeping warm and safe at home, how they can use energy wisely and how they can reduce CO2 emissions.

Shona King, Head of Community, Drax said: “These grants build upon the Drax Foundation’s strong record in supporting the communities where we operate. The £300,000 in grants for NEA, ALIenergy and Fuel Bank Foundation will help to address the critical issue of fuel poverty within the communities where we operate by providing education for school students, financial support for those in need and provisions for those in isolated off-grid homes.”

Drax Foundation funding is available for organisations ranging from smaller community-led projects to larger grants of up to £100,000 for established non-profit organisations.

Priority is given to organisations that deliver programmes for under-served and under-represented groups, advance gender equality and support indigenous communities.

Organisations and initiatives that meet Drax’s funding and selection criteria are encouraged to visit www.drax.com/community to learn more about the Foundation and submit an initial expression of interest. The Foundation is already accepting applications for 2024’s second round of funding.