Airport funding kickstarts hospice’s environmental plans

Published on: Tuesday, 15th November 2022
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Airport funding kickstarts hospice’s environmental plans

A grant of £20,000 from East Midlands Airport has helped Treetops Hospice install solar panels at its site in Risley, Derbyshire. 

The money was made available from EMA’s Community Fund as part of a pilot project to support community, charity and voluntary sector organisations to make the transition to more sustainable energy use. The initial round of funding was ringfenced specifically for local hospices.

It is anticipated that the forty-two solar panels will generate 13051 kWh during a typical year, with over 80% of the electricity generated expected to be used directly by Treetops. 

Treetops Hospice Chief Executive, Julie Heath, said she was delighted to see the solar panels installed: “We are very committed to playing a responsible role in the local community, including developing and delivering our environmental policy. The grant from East Midlands Airport kickstarts our plans to introduce greener ways of working in the future.

“The solar panels should help us save up to £2,000 every year in energy costs. This is the equivalent amount we must raise to provide 20 nights of end-of-life nursing care for local patients.”

Councillor Angus Sowter, East Midlands Airport Community Fund Committee member, said: “When the committee considered a sustainable energy fund, there was unanimous support for offering our local hospices funding in the first instance. 

“We’re delighted that this funding is already having an impact at Treetops Hospice. Not only will it help the hospice to reduce its carbon footprint but, at current energy prices, it will also help keep costs down so that more money can be spent on the care they provide.”

Treetops future environmental plans include purchasing a hybrid or electric vehicle to deliver their Roaming Nurse Service and introducing a tree-planting scheme to offset their carbon footprint.

East Midlands Airport Community Fund were also one of several organisations to provide funding to develop the hospice’s contemplation courtyard where family and friends can remember loved ones.

The Community Fund was established in April 2002 to support initiatives in places which are most affected by the airport’s operation. To date, over £1.3m has been awarded to more than 1,500 community groups.

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