Sun, 18 Jan 2026

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 'Warm hub has saved me from loneliness'

An 84-year-old Blackpool pensioner says she found herself in fuel poverty when her husband died.
Sheila, who had cut back to just one meal a day due to financial struggles, says the Grange Community Centre has turned her life around through warmth, new friendships, and advice on energy-saving measures. Groundwork's "green doctors" helped Sheila switch energy provider, install thermal foil behind radiators, and provided essentials like a heated throw, hot water bottle, and draft excluders. Sheila now volunteers at the community centre and has formed close bonds with its members, known as the "Grange girls". She says her life is now more relaxed and she's able to enjoy small comforts like turning on the heating over Christmas.
  >>