08 Feb 2025
Members of local campaign group St Albans District Friends of the Earth took part in a special Westminster event demanding warm homes for all in St Albans and across the country.
The gathering in Parliament Square, which involved activists from across Friends of the Earth’s network of local groups, saw campaigners coming together to lay hand-made scarves in the shape of the figure ‘55%’ – the percentage of all homes in England and Wales deemed cold, damp and unfit for good health and comfort.
The striking visual was created to draw attention to the dire state of England and Wales’ poorly-insulated housing stock, and the fact that more than half of households continue to be at risk of going cold in winter, particularly while energy bills remain extortionately high.
Members of St Albans District Friends of the Earth took along their community scarves that were created at a series of community crafting sessions. The scarves were emblazoned with heart-felt messages about the energy crisis and the solutions that are needed locally to end the scourge of cold homes in St Albans.
As part of the event, the group was joined by local MP Daisy Cooper, who turned out to support the group’s calls for a robust Warm Homes Plan.
According to Friends of the Earth data analysis, there are staggering 21,740 poorly insulated in St Albans – those defined as being below EPC rating C.
The group hopes that having the MP’s weight behind their campaign will help to bolster calls for a credible national plan to ensure no one endures another winter of hardship.
Daisy Cooper said: “I know from my work as the local MP and from working with organisations like the St Albans and District Foodbank, Citizens Advice and others, just how badly cold and damp homes affect people’s physical and mental health. But I’ve also seen how insulating homes can be truly life changing. Badly insulated homes are a disaster for people and the climate, so I’ll keep supporting calls for an emergency home insulation scheme.”
St Albans District Friends of the Earth coordinator Amanda Yorwerth added: “It’s been nearly three years since energy prices first sky-rocketed, but far from having returned to 2021 levels, bills are still eye-wateringly high for too many. We simply can’t afford to accept this as the new normal when people are feeling the impacts of the cost of living crisis in every area of their lives.
“The good news is that we have the solutions that can tackle the scourge of cold homes for good, alongside curbing the harmful planet-warming emissions they produce.
“We just need the Government to go much further and faster on what it’s already pledged towards rolling out a national programme of insulation, and that those who need it most are targeted first for support.
“That’s why we’re delighted that Daisy Cooper MP has said that she will back our cause, and help secure a national Warm Homes Plan that’s as robust and meaningful for communities like ours as it can be.”
