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Green Capital: PITCH in to improve health
For thousands of people in Bristol trying to keep warm is a daily struggle and for many this is having a devastating impact on their health.
A new initiative launched by the Bristol-based Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) aims to bring health professionals and energy experts together to help people who are struggling to stay warm.
The charity aims to get the health sector to recognise the correlation between cold homes and illness like childhood asthma and heart conditions.
is needed now More than ever
“Thousands of people in the city are unable to afford to heat their homes properly,” says Simon Roberts, Chief Executive of CSE. “If your home is 16 degrees or lower….that will have an effect on health.”
With the backing of Green Capital the charity has developed the PITCH (Preventing Illness by Tackling Cold Homes) project in Bristol which it hopes will become a national standard.
“We are working with directly with the health sector at a strategic level to try and develop an understanding of why this issue is important,” says Simon.
“On the other side we are linking up all the agencies in Bristol – the council, debt agencies, Citizens Advice Bureau and others to coordinate the support that is then available to those households,” he added.
“ At the moment it is all a bit piecemeal…If we can get the health service to link up with the agencies already providing help we can get services to the people who need it most.”
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