Changeworks

🏡 Driving home decarbonisation across the Highlands.

The Highland Energy Community Partnership (HECP) is a collaborative project tackling fuel poverty and helping households in remote and rural communities make their homes warmer, greener and more energy efficient. Supported by almost £1.5 million from the National Lottery Climate Action Fund, the partnership is working to reduce carbon emissions, improve quality of life and strengthen the local retrofit supply chain.

HECP's first End of Year Report showcases a strong start. Between October 2025 and January 2026 alone, the Energy Officer team delivered 223 one-to-one advice sessions and home visits, attended 29 community events, and engaged directly with 295 residents. Through this support, householders were helped to save an estimated 938 tonnes of carbon.

These early results demonstrate the impact of partnership working across the Highlands and provide a solid foundation for the years ahead. As HECP continues into Year 2, the focus will be on building on this momentum, working closely with communities, householders and the retrofit supply chain to remove barriers and support more energy efficiency improvements across the region.

Read the full End of Year Report to learn more about the progress made so far and the ambitions for the future.
https://www.changeworks.org.uk/b/insights/hecp-report-25-26/

Lochbroom & Ullapool Community Trust
Coigach Community Development Company, Achiltibuie
Transition Black Isle
Gairloch and Loch Ewe Action Forum (GALE)
The Garve & District Development Company
Contin Community Council

Image credits: Simon Spare at Gairloch and Loch Ewe Action Forum & Claire Divine from Transition Black Isle

🚨 Applications are open for Changeworks Work Placement Week 🚨

For young people interested in sustainability, climate action or making a real difference, this is more than just work placement, it’s a pathway into one of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors.

Young people will gain:
🌱 First-hand insight into green careers
🌱 Practical skills for future employment
🌱 Connections with industry professionals
🌱 Inspiration to shape Scotland’s low-carbon future

Spaces are limited, and demand is high.

📍 Apply now and start building your future in sustainability.
https://www.changeworks.org.uk/work-placement-week/

Work Placement Week Our annual Work Placement Week will take place from September 28th - October 2nd 2026.

💡 Weekly Energy Saving Tip

Quick question... when you're cooking pasta, rice, or vegetables, do you boil the water in the kettle first?

The answer depends on the type of hob you have:

⚡ Electric hob? Boiling water in the kettle first is usually quicker and can save both energy and money.

🔥 Gas hob? Boiling water in the kettle may use less energy overall, but it’s unlikely to save you money because electricity typically costs more per unit than gas.

✅ Bonus tip: Always use a lid on your pan where possible. It keeps heat in, helps water boil faster, and reduces the energy needed for cooking.

🎉 It's Volunteers' Week! 🎉

This year, we're celebrating the incredible contribution of our volunteers across Scotland who help us support communities to take action on energy efficiency, tackle fuel poverty, and create a more sustainable future.

✨ 103 volunteers
✨ 2,320 volunteer hours contributed in 2025-26
✨ 12 projects supported across multiple teams
✨ Volunteers active across 11 local authority areas, from Inverness to Kirkintilloch

Most importantly, 100% of our volunteer survey respondents said they would recommend volunteering with Changeworks.

Thank you to every volunteer who gives their time, skills, enthusiasm and passion to support our work.

Weekly Energy Saving Tip 💡

A great way to keep cool and save energy this summer is to close curtains and blinds during the hottest part of the day.

So you can avoid switching on fans and we will be back with more ways to keep cool for less.