A New Social Enterprise will Tackle Fuel Poverty and Much More
A social enterprise has moved a step closer to fulfil its aims of reducing fuel poverty by offering its first full time training places to 18 - 24 year olds who could take up employment within the company this summer.
Lofty Heights is a new social enterprise offering a loft emptying service with a focus on helping elderly or disabled people who are unable to take up offers of loft insulation because their attics are full.
“We are not a loft clearance service” explained Olive Quinton founder and director of Lofty Heights “but a service to bring down boxes and whatever else is stored in the loft so that the owners can decide what to do with it. It’s essential that we are able to employ young people who are not only aware of all the health and safety issues, but are trained in customer care and diversity so that we can offer a sensitive service appropriate for our customers needs and our social purpose.”

Working in partnership with Job Centre Plus and Otley College the trainees are all NEET’s and will complete the one month course by early July. “We hope to employ three of the trainees initially” explained Olive. “Our service is not just limited to lofts, but is there to help in situations where over cluttered rooms are making living independently difficult or where rooms need to be cleared to allow internal wall insulation to be fitted.”  
Work is starting now to find lofts in need of emptying in and around Felixstowe with the aim of expanding the service across Suffolk as the company grows.

Lofty Heights was founded in April as a Company Ltd by Guarantee after Olive who has 25 years of experience in Community Development and Health Improvement, enrolled as a student with the School for Social Entrepreneurs. She gratefully acknowledges that without the learning and support she has had from all involved that she would not be so advanced with the development of Lofty Heights. Olive has obtained funding from UnLtd and the Stepping Out Foundation and also accessed business support from Barry Henson at Suffolk ACRE
“I wanted another view about which legal structure would be best for my social enterprise and Barry's advice was extremely helpful. Barry also linked me in with lots of other useful people" said Olive

Barry who is Suffolk ACRE’s business support manager said
"Governance advice is one of our most popular requests within Suffolk ACRE's social enterprise support service. Lofty Heights has very clear social aims to combat fuel poverty whilst at the same time providing training, skills and jobs for young people who are not in work, education or training. We wish Lofty Heights every success.”
For more information on Lofty Heights please visit http://www.lofty-heights.org/

If you know of some one who could benefit from the Lofty Heights service please contact Olive at olive@lofty-heights.org or Tel 07745 215114