As winter is approaching, free help and advice about keeping warm and staying healthy is being offered at a community event in St George’s Hall, Liverpool.
The Winter Survival Community Event takes place on Wednesday 18th November from 10am-2.30pm. The event is sponsored by British Gas and Scottish Power Energy Networks and is part of the Viridis Winter Warmth campaign aimed at reducing excess deaths during the winter months.
The event will have around 60 exhibitors, from a wide range of organisations including energy companies, charities, council services and community groups. They will provide information and advice on a number of issues including:
• Fuel Poverty
• Debt
• Energy efficiency
• Financial assistance
• Healthy living
• Keeping Active
• Social inclusion
There will be entertainment and demonstrations throughout the day including free bingo sessions and live music from the North West Charity Singers and the Sing Me Merseyside Choir.
The Pagoda Centre will give a Tai Chi demonstration, the CHATS team will offer free health checks and there will be reiki healing sessions with Ursui School of Natural Healing. And you need not even get up to stay healthy as the Liveability Team will lead some chair based exercise.
A free prize draw will offer some great prizes and those attending will get a hot drink on arrival. Free bags of vegetables to make soup will also be handed out while stocks last.
The event will be opened by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Tony Concepcion. He said:
“This event is becoming one of the most significant in our calendar with more and more people attending. Last year we had around 800- a record number and this year we are hoping for even more.
“It attracts so many people because they know it is very important to find out the best way to cope with winter – whether it is how to keep warm or what help is available over energy bills.
“The Winter Survival campaign is aimed at cutting excessive winter deaths. Although we have seen the number of excess deaths in the coldest months reduced significantly in recent years there were still more than 150 in the city last year in what was a not particularly harsh winter.
“So the community event is a great way of helping you survive winter.”
Chris Tate, head of corporate responsibility at British Gas, said:
“We’re proud to sponsor this event, through our partnership with National Energy Action. British Gas has an important role to play in tackling fuel poverty and helping people create warmer, more energy efficient homes is a key part of that.”
Stephen Stewart, SP Energy Networks Director, said:
“We have been supporting the Viridis campaign for many years, and are delighted to be lead sponsor.
“The campaign brings together a wide range of agencies and organisations to offer assistance to those who need it most.
“As part of the campaign we will be encouraging our most vulnerable customers to join our Priority Register, which gives access to additional support and advice in the event of an issue with power supplies.”