Regen SW hosts Community Energy Feast

Twelve local groups meet in Exeter tonight for a locally sourced dinner using food from producers using renewable energy.

Regen SW, a centre for sustainable energy expertise based in Exeter, is tonight hosting a community energy feast to celebrate the volunteers and groups working tirelessly to establish community energy projects in the region. These projects are being set up to benefit local communities and generate income to make them more vibrant and sustainable places to live.

The evening’s food will be prepared by the Pickle Shack who are dedicated to using only the freshest, yummiest, local ingredients and for this meal they will be sourcing food from farms and suppliers using renewable energy.

This invitation only event is part of Regen’s Community Energy Accelerator project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Devon County Council. The community groups attending have all taken part in a series of training events over the last 3 months to learn about legal structures, engagement and publicity, business models, share offers and writing tender specifications, and many have benefited from grant funding to further their community energy projects.

Jodie Giles, senior project manager at Regen SW said: “We are really excited about this event which gives us a chance to thank the volunteers and local groups who put so much of their own time and energy into doing something really valuable for their own communities, we can’t wait to see what Pickle Shack have on the menu, and are looking forward to being entertained by Regen’s poet in residence Matt Harvey”.

Devon County Councillor Roger Croad, Cabinet Member for Community and Environmental Services sad: “Over £300m and £400m is spent on energy in the north and south of Devon respectively, all of which disappears out of the local economy. Continuing our support to community energy groups will help build firm foundations for communities to work together to generate their own energy.”

There will be more events happening with this network including Social Media training on the 17 March, and site visits to local renewable energy projects on the 24 March.

You can find more information about this project by contacting Jodie Giles jgiles@regensw.co.uk