RCAN’s bulk oil-buying scheme is going from strength to strength. So far, since 31st October 2011, 18,600 litres of oil have been purchased through the scheme and in total, Nottinghamshire’s households that ordered during this period have saved a massive £998.30 between them.

One of the questions most commonly asked is ‘How much is the oil?’ but as regular buyers will know, the price varies from day to day so there isn’t a single answer.

On 6th January, on the last order, our members have paid 54.9ppl when the average price was 60.3ppl; In November, members paid 55.5ppl when the average price was 61.5ppl and in September and October, members paid 53.97ppl when the average price was 59.5ppl. Every member has more than recovered their membership fee within their very first order.

We are keen to carry on recruiting new community co-ordinators so that more communities can start to enjoy the benefits. The co-ordinators are finding that the task isn’t time consuming or difficult, especially where most members are on e-mail. For people who don’t use e-mail, every co-ordinator has to find a place to put up a notice about the next deadline for oil orders, so that they can tell the co-ordinator whether they want a delivery. The time commitment is small, the benefits are large – and don’t forget, volunteer co-ordinators can join the scheme free of charge.

To find out more please phone Annalisa Goodwin on 01623 727600 or email agoodwin@rcan.org.uk

Consumer Focus has published a report which says that engaging with local communities and local authorities can help ensure post office services remain accessible to rural residents despite changes.

The report looks at how Devon County Council dealt with the loss of post offices during the closure programme in 2007 and is worth a read prior to the nationwide restructuring of the post office network in 2012.

Whilst the 2012 programme won't involve closures, rural customers will still be affected by changes to their local post office service.

Devon County Council's response to the closure programme kept a post office service alive in many areas. In 2007, 45 Devon post offices were closed (12% of the county's total) and a further 38 were replaced by a Partner Outreach programme (10% of the county's total).

As a result of the closure programme in 2007, some Devon communities also had to face the loss of their village shop, difficulties in accessing cash and increased transport costs.

To read the full version of this report please click here

RCAN is now registered with ‘easyfundraising’ which is an online shopping facility for a very large range of retailers and service providers. Easyfundraising is a way of accessing retailers own online websites but by going to these websites in this fashion RCAN will receive a donation based on a percentage of your spend. Purchasing in this way involves no extra cost to you but a gain to RCAN.

Just follow the link http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk register yourself, nominate Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire as your preferred cause and start browsing!

HOUSEHOLDS across the country can now apply for a government grant of up to £1,250 to help towards the cost of installing renewable heat systems.

Called the Renewable Heat Premium Payment Scheme, the programme is targeting households without mains gas.
"We are keen to promote this funding to ensure as many rural households as possible benefit from it before the funding ends in March 2012," said a government spokesman.
Eligible systems include biomass boilers, ground and air source heat pumps, and solar thermal hot water systems.
Funding is also available to registered social landlords to improve their housing stock.
The scheme runs throughout Great Britain and focuses on homes not heated by mains gas.
These homes can apply for grants for air source and ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal hot water systems.
Grants for solar thermal are also available to households connected to the mains gas grid.
Minimum energy efficiency criteria must be met before homes qualify for grants, and households must monitor the performance of heating system.
The Renewable Heat Premium Payment Scheme is scheduled to end in March 2012, but is cash limited.
Some £15 million has been set aside to help households and social landlords under the scheme.
Once the money has been allocated, no further funding will be available.
The scheme is being run by the Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
For details, visit the trust website here