We held a workshop to feedback on projects, and update on our thinking since we last met. We also wanted to highlight how your feedback is shaping our plans and direction around CO Awareness.
We held a workshop to feedback on projects, and update on our thinking since we last met. We also wanted to highlight how your feedback is shaping our plans and direction around CO Awareness.
We wanted to use this session as an opportunity to discuss our winter readiness strategy with our social partners, explaining the actions that extend beyond CO safety and supporting customers through cost of living crises, the work we’ve undertaken to date and the research and insight that has shaped our approach.
We wanted to find out what our partners winter preparation looked like, and what they are doing, as well as giving an update on individual and collaborative VCMA CO projects.
53%
of attendees read our NGN VCMA report, with 8.3/10 finding the report was a useful document.
NGN Annual Reports
During discussions about VCMA projects and the annual report, it was clear from those that had read the report that they felt it gave a comprehensive overview of the funding and case studies, which were particularly informative. You also said it was interesting to read about how schemes have helped ‘real life’ householders and the impact that funding and support has made. It was also clear that a number of stakeholders hadnt read the report and werent aware of it but said they would be interested to read it.
We will look at how we can improve sharing and signposting to all our reports next year, and undertake a review to improve accessibility of our reports for stakeholders and their colleagues.
CO safety
You said that as community advice groups you had seen clear evidence of unsafe behaviours such as BBQs being lit indoors to keep warm. During conversations about the reasons for this behaviour, you explained that you are witnesseing extreme behaviours to prevent using energy including not switching heating on and event attempting to disconnect their supply or bypass meter readings.
We recognise this is a crisis point and need to find ways to prevent unsafe behaviour and keep customers safe. We will develop a “heat the home not the person” approach as part of our winter campaign and look to purchase low energy solutions such as heated blankets, heated throws and heated seat covers, that we can provide to vulnerable customers or those that are currently struggling to heat their homes.
What more could NGN be doing?
You told us that it is not just about the money, and that NGN can help in other ways. You suggested encouraging NGN colleagues to use their volunteer days, to support community partners and organisations provide support.
We will work with our Communications team to promote colleague volunteer days across the business. Our Social Strategy team will facilitate this, and work to coordinate volunteering opportunities with our partners and colleagues.
What more could NGN be doing?
You said that NGN should provide CO alarms to more organisations including foodbanks, and share CO films on YouTube etc with stakeholders so they can raise awareness on our behalf in communities.
We will be looking to provide more CO alarms to organisations across our network, but we are currently reliant on our partners signposting us. We are also planning a large awareness Campaign in order to raise awareness during the cost-of-living crisis, which will be promoted by our Communications team. One of the key parts of the campaign, will be case study videos with NGN engineers sharing real-life stories and examples to give messages a real relatable aspect. Other activity is likely to include press releases sharing these videos, with wider media and social media advertising. We will make sure we share all this with our partners so they can share wider into their networks.