STORY: Alina – ‘I didn’t know I could change energy suppliers, I was very pleased to be shown how to do that’
When Alina from Derbyshire asked her local Groundwork charity for support, she had two main concerns: black mould in her home and high energy bills. Groundwork’s Green Doctors, a fully funded energy advice service, helped Alina tackle both issues during a home visit.
Alina and her family moved to the UK from Ukraine in 2022 and have lived in their bungalow for three years. In that time, they found damp and mould forming in their home which really worried the couple, especially because of the health implications for their three small children.
Alina attended a community event where she met Green Doctor Vanessa – an energy expert who helps households to save money on their bills and reduce unnecessary energy usage. She asked if Vanessa could take a further look at the damp and mould in her bungalow.
Vanessa visited Alina at home and quickly found the reason for the mould to be wet washing hung up to dry in the hallway, without any windows or ventilation. Vanessa advised her to remove the existing mould and put a dehumidifier by her clothes airer to absorb the moisture.
This simple solution has stopped further damp and mould from forming, and Alina finds that it helps to dry the washing quicker too.
To support Alina to save both money and energy, the Green Doctor provided her with a free air fryer for cooking as using an oven is more expensive and takes longer than an air fryer.
Together they also reviewed Alina’s household bills to see where savings could be made. Vanessa advised her to switch to a different energy tariff which will save Alina £200 a year!
Alina says:
“Being quite new to the country, I didn’t know I could change energy suppliers, so I was very pleased Vanessa showed me how to do that. Now I understand the way it’s done in the UK, because it is different from what I’m used to in my home country.
“The tip about drying clothes with the dehumidifier has made a huge difference, the mould is gone and I’m no longer worried about it affecting our health. With a family and other things to think about, it’s a weight off my mind.
Vanessa was very friendly and caring. She understood my worries and gave lots of advice. I highly recommend getting a Green Doctor visit, it’s completely free and so helpful.