Birdbrook Community House, near Haverhill, saving 50 per cent on energy bills thanks to Braintree District Council grant

The energy bills for a community building in Birdbrook, just a few miles from Haverhill, are expected to halve after a sizeable grant from Braintree District Council enabled 54 insulated windows to be installed.

Birdbrook Community House Trust had the work done after being awarded £5,345 from the council’s Community Infrastructure Grants Fund.

Steve Filbey, a trustee and former chair of the trust, put forward the suggestion, as the building’s energy bills had hit an unsustainable £600 per month.

Steve’s father-in-law had secured the grant to put in the old windows 30 years earlier but they had begun to allow too much heat to escape.

The thatched building is the home of Birdbrook Bowls Club, provides a warm space in winter, hosts yoga classes and parish council meetings – and more.

Steve said: “It’s all about doing what we can to save money. I’m so impressed by the price and the look of the new windows, and they are predicted to save 50 per cent on our bills.”

The Community Infrastructure Grants Fund received £100,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.