We have completed a project to bring heating and lighting to our porta-cabin which we use as both a meeting place with a kitchen and toilet and where we undertake training courses. We have 53 plots, all fully let and a waiting list.

The cost of bringing mains electricity to our site was high, due to our remote location.  We set about raising money mainly from grants to generate our own electricity and to heat and light the porta-cabin. For heating we chose a Bio-thermal Extra Flame baby Fiamma pellet stove complete with hearth and external flue system together with a solar water heater for the hand basin in the toilet and kitchen. For lighting we use an externally housed bio-diesel electricity generator.

The work of building the generator housing was undertaken by a plotholder who is an engineer. When the bills were added up the total cost to the association of providing electricity on site, together with a heated meeting place, was just under £11,000. We obtained about £9,800 of this in grants from a combination of national funds available for alternative energy, local independent funders, council grant schemes and Awards for All, and matchfunded this with £800 from our own funds. The site members and an active management committee have provided the drive and enthusiasm to see the job through at little cost to the association.

Trevor Matthews 

First published: ARI Newsletter, Winter 2009