Community quilt supporting a New Forest Friends of the Earth campaign for warmer homesdisplayed in Brockenhurst

A COMMUNITY quilt supporting a New Forest Friends of the Earth campaign for warmer homes for was on display in Brockenhurst at a recent meeting.

Lymington mayor Cllr Jack Davies helped finish the quilt which displayed slogans and symbols.

New Forest MPs Sir Desmond Swayne and Sir Julian Lewis also came to view the brightly coloured throw.

Councillor Davies, Lib Dem candidate for New Forest West, said: “I’m really pleased to support the Friends of the Earth Campaign for a proper homes-insulation plan.

“Almost 26,000 homes in New Forest West are not properly insulated. This means people are paying out more for their energy bills.”

Copies of a petition signed by 123 people, organised by Rick Kimber from New Forest FoE, were presented to the two MPs.

The petition called on them to support people “dealing with sky high energy bills by introducing an emergency programme to insulate homes that need it and provide an energy system powered by cheap, green renewables”.

They were also given information sheets about 16 “energy crisis hotspots” identified in the New Forest – where households with below average incomes are struggling to meet high fuel bills.

NFFoE asked both MPs to lobby the chancellor for urgent funding to be given to qualifying households for basic insulation measure including loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, draught proofing and thermostatic radiator valves.