CISWO – The Coal Mining Charity – has helped secure £11,373 in grant funding to support the installation of a new, energy-efficient boiler at Wearmouth Miners’ Welfare Scheme, ensuring the centre remains a warm, welcoming and sustainable space for the local community.
Working closely with the trustees at Wearmouth, CISWO’s Grants Team successfully accessed £5,373 from Business Renewables Energy Efficiency Sunderland, alongside £1,000 from The Knott Trust and £5,000 from the Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust.
The funding will contribute towards replacing the welfare’s existing heating system, which is more than 30 years old and increasingly inefficient and unreliable. The new boiler will provide a modern, energy-efficient solution, helping to maintain a comfortable environment for all users while reducing running costs and carbon emissions.
Chris Hall, Secretary at Wearmouth Miners’ Welfare Scheme, said:
We are incredibly grateful to CISWO and the funders for their support in helping us secure this vital funding.
Our current heating system is outdated and struggles to meet the needs of the building. This new boiler will ensure we can continue providing a warm, safe and welcoming space for the whole community, especially during the colder months.
CISWO Chief Executive Nicola Didlock said:
This project is a fantastic example of how partnership working can deliver real, lasting benefits for local communities.
By supporting Wearmouth Miners’ Welfare Scheme to upgrade its heating system, we are helping improve comfort and wellbeing for users, while also strengthening the centre’s financial resilience and environmental sustainability for the future
The new heating system will deliver a range of long-term benefits for the welfare and the wider Southwick community. These include improved wellbeing and comfort for users, particularly during winter months, alongside financial savings of around £1,500 per year in heating costs.
The upgrade will also reduce energy wastage and carbon emissions, supporting environmental sustainability within the local area.