Jordan Moses (left), Healthy Homes Te Tai Tokerau zone leader and healthy home assessor; CBEC chief executive Cliff Colquhoun; Jo Shanks, curtain programme lead and EcoSolutions manager; and Healthy Homes Te Tai Tokerau worker Blake Wassing installing free thermal curtains in a Kaitāia home from a new $70,000 Top Energy fund.
Jordan Moses (left), Healthy Homes Te Tai Tokerau zone leader and healthy home assessor; CBEC chief executive Cliff Colquhoun; Jo Shanks, curtain programme lead and EcoSolutions manager; and Healthy Homes Te Tai Tokerau worker Blake Wassing installing free thermal curtains in a Kaitāia home from a new $70,000 Top Energy fund.
“I was really worried how cold it was going to get in winter and what that would mean for the kids,” a Kaitāia mum who has had free thermal curtains installed from a new fund says.
The Kaitāia mum, one of the first to get the new curtains, has two children with health issues that would be exacerbated by a cold, damp and uninsulated house, but the first home she and her husband bought recently did not have any curtains and has floor-to-ceiling windows throughout.
She said they could not afford all new curtains and with kids with health issues, she was worried about what would happen to them in winter.
“We know winter will be cold and these new curtains will really help us and protect the health of our children,” the woman, who did not want to be named, said.
CBEC will use the funding to install thermal curtains in homes in the Far North to make them warmer and healthier for their occupants.
Launched in November, the fund aims to alleviate energy-related challenges by offering a total of $70,000 to support non-profit organisations. The funding can be awarded in full or divided among multiple recipients to back grassroots initiatives that reduce barriers to energy hardship, improve living standards and foster resilience in the community.
“The Energy Wellness Fund will make a huge difference for some of the poorest households in our community.”
Clockwise from bottom left: CBEC chief executive Cliff Colquhoun, Healthy Homes Te Tai Tokerau zone leader and healthy home assessor Jordan Moses, curtain programme lead and EcoSolutions manager Jo Shanks, and Healthy Homes Te Tai Tokerau worker Blake Wassing with the free thermal curtains.
“Many homes in the Far North are poorly insulated and cold. Curtains might seem simple, but they’re a powerful tool to keep warmth inside and improve people’s health. This funding means we can get started immediately,” Colquhoun said.
He said CBEC had secured below-wholesale-price, end-of-line high-quality curtains from a national curtain supply company.
The programme will provide reduced-cost curtains and fully subsidised curtains to about 50 homes and prioritise those with children or health issues. It expands on partnerships with local health providers and community groups.
The thermal curtain programme will run for 12 months and aims to deliver tangible improvements in living conditions, health and energy efficiency for those in need.
Referrals for homes for the programme are coming from health providers and community networks, and feedback will be gathered to measure its impact on health and energy savings.
Top Energy chief executive Russell Shaw said the fund reflected the company’s commitment to supporting wellbeing in the Far North where many households experienced energy hardship.
“Cost and access barriers result in cold homes that can negatively impact whānau health. CBEC’s application stood out for the practicality of the thermal curtain programme, that it would have wide impact and that it is tailored to the needs of our community,” Shaw said.
“We’re proud to help kick-start this programme and look forward to seeing the benefits it brings to families in the Far North.”
He said Top Energy’s Energy Wellness Fund supported grassroots projects like CBEC’s that tackled energy hardship and promoted sustainable living.
