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COST OF LIVING: UHI Inverness could be made available as 'warm space' this winter


By Val Sweeney

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Exploratory talks are taking place about opening up the college building to more of the community.
Exploratory talks are taking place about opening up the college building to more of the community.

The possibility of opening up the college for older people and those in highest need this winter is being considered as energy costs rise.

The idea of opening public buildings such as Inverness Town House and community centres for people unable to afford to heat their homes in the winter months has already been mooted by Inverness councillor Alasdair Christie.

Exploratory talks are now taking place between UHI Inverness and community groups including Highland Senior Citizens Network (HSCN), which campaigns for older people, about whether the campus and its facilities might be made available.

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The typical household energy bill is to be capped at £2500 annually for two years from October 1 following UK government intervention – it had been due to rise from £1971 to £3549.

But bills in the Highlands are disproportionately higher and fuel poverty rates are among the worst in Scotland.

Anne McDonald, a co-ordinator with HSCN, said people are concerned about rising energy prices.

“I think there is general massive anxiety about what is going to happen but also people see the impact now of prices which have already gone up,” she said.

“That is affecting their decision making.

“They are not putting on their heating. They are not spending money on luxury items.

“They want to minimise their spending and are worried about what will happen next.”

She said the idea of opening up the campus building was a “fantastic” idea in theory as it offered a warm space with good facilities such as hairdressers, a library, computers and the potential to bring people together.

But she also acknowledged there could be practical considerations for some people such as leaving a slightly warm house and waiting for a bus in the cold to travel to the campus.

Fellow co-ordinator Jo Cowan said it was going to be a difficult winter for many different reasons.

“I think some people are going to be facing hardship for the first time and it is much more difficult for these people perhaps to seek the support they need,” she said.

“We might not even think about these people being in hardship.”

She said it was important to listen to people’s wants and wishes.

“We can be very well meaning but if we have not listened to what people want, we are not being a support to them,” she said.

David Hannah, a trustee of HSCN, speculated whether community resilience centres – which open at times of emergency – might be needed to help people deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

“Most communities have a centre called a community resilience centre so in an emergency or time of necessity they can become functional quite easily,” he said.

“They are mostly set up for bad weather but the way things are going, maybe they are not just for bad weather.

“Maybe it will be the fuel crisis or financial crisis which brings people into the resilience centre.”

Mr Hannah, who lives in Ardgay, said many members live in remote areas and have been hit by rising energy prices as well as fuel prices which meant they could not afford to travel to meetings.

A spokeswoman for UHI Inverness said the principal and chief executive, Professor Chris O’Neil, was concerned about the impact of the energy and cost-of-living crises on staff, students and broader communities.

“Following on from the introduction of a free breakfast and lunch for our students, together with other initiatives to provide them with access to warm clothing and toiletries, Chris has been meeting with community groups and stakeholders to explore opportunities to offer a warm space to particular groups of people in the highest need,” she said.

“We will be holding Welcome Days in October and November to show people around our facilities, and to offer refreshments and a chance to chat with student hosts.

“We are hoping that senior members of our community choosing to come on to site will take the opportunity to interact with our students, sharing their experience and wisdom.”


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