Pensioner receives free boiler after two freezing years

Green Doctor Mike and Terry

84-year-old Terry from Derbyshire lived without heating, hot water and gas for two years due to a broken boiler which he could not afford to replace. Regional charity Groundwork Five Counties stepped in and through their Green Doctor service arranged for Terry to get a brand-new boiler, free of charge.

After Terry’s boiler stopped working, he could no longer cook on his gas hob and had to use a log burner to stay warm. The logs cost him hundreds of pounds every month and he was only able to heat one room, where he would camp out during the cold winter days. He heated up water with a kettle and filled his sink to wash himself.

Terry said: “It was awful living like that, but the simple truth is that I couldn’t afford to replace the boiler which was thirty years old. Different organisations tried to help, giving me hot water bottles and such, but none could solve the issue.

“When my GP rang for a health check, they were concerned and told me there was a new service available – the Green Doctor. I signed up for a home visit, but I was sceptical and didn’t expect any results.”

The Green Doctor is a fully funded service by charity Groundwork Five Counties that provides households in the East Midlands with energy and money-saving advice. They work with the Cadent Foundation, who through Cadent are able to offer gas safety checks and boiler services to eligible homes. In extreme cases, they can replace parts of gas appliances or provide a full replacement.

When Green Doctor Mike visited Terry at home, he was worried how Terry could endure another freezing winter. Mike referred him to the Cadent Foundation, who sent an engineer to service the old boiler. When it became clear it could not be salvaged, Terry was delighted to be told he would be getting a new combi boiler.

Terry says: “The boiler was installed just two weeks after Mike came to see me, along with a radiator in my bathroom, which never had any heating.

“I am so grateful to Mike and Cadent for their help, it has been life changing. I enjoy a nice shower every day, and I am not worried about staying warm. Winter is no longer a scary prospect.”

The free Green Doctor service is available to people of any age, background, and income – whether they own their home, rent, or are a council or social housing tenant.

For more information and to get a free home visit in the East Midlands, visit the website: https://www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/green-doctor/

Terry’s broken 30 year old boiler