Residents of Whitfield met on Sunday to discuss their concerns about energy bills and how to keep warm this winter and beyond. 

The meeting was organised by High Peak Green New Deal, whose members are calling for a national campaign to insulate and retrofit homes, which they say would bring down bills and reduce carbon emissions.  

The group's co-ordinator Linda Walker said: "We decided to start our campaign in Whitfield as it has such a strong community and people live in a mix of council, housing association, private rented and privately owned homes. We were delighted with the response from all those who took part in our first meeting." 

Local residents decided they would like to start a group called 'Warm Homes Whitfield'. They will be encouraging friends and neighbours to join, and then together call on High Peak MP Robert Largan to press government ministers to take urgent action on retrofitting cold and damp homes.

This Saturday (24 September), for the start of Great Big Green Week, Green New Deal members will be on Glossop high street talking to shoppers about the Warm Homes initiative and their campaign to stop the building of the A57 Link Roads, and instead invest in better buses, safer walking and cycling spaces and a ban on heavy lorries over Woodhead and the Snake Pass.

On Tuesday (27 September) there will be a talk on the practicalities of retrofitting your home by Jonathan Atkinson of the Carbon Co-op. This will take place at 7.30pm at Glossop Labour Club. 

The Warm Homes Whitfield Group will be meeting again at Pure Vibes on 8 October. To find out more about any of these activities, email highpeakgreennewdeal@gmail.com

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