By Isle of Wight Observer
Utilita, the UK’s leading Smart Pay As You Go Energy supplier, is running ‘The Utilita Energy Hub-to-Hub Challenge’ in Newport to support the Independent Arts whose vital fundraising and community-building activities have been curbed by the coronavirus crisis.
The charity fundraiser kicked off on 18th May and includes a team from the Newport Energy Hub either walking, running, cycling or skipping the equivalent distance from the Utilita Hub in Newport to the Hub in Leith in Edinburgh – totalling a whopping 516 miles. They are clocking up the miles by making the most out of outdoor spaces, such as doing laps in their local park until they reach the 516-mile milestone. To promote positive physical and mental health during the lockdown, members of the Utilita Energy Hub team are also recording their weekly body mass index, to demonstrate the health benefits of the challenge.
Katherine Allen, Utilita Hub Manager in Newport said: “The Utilita Energy Hubs exist to give local communities a place to go to talk about reducing their energy usage, as well as providing a space free of charge where local community groups and good causes can host their own activities, so we wanted to fill that current void with something equally as community-centred, whilst keeping the staff active to promote positive physical and mental wellbeing.
“Each Energy Hub has chosen a local charity or support group to raise money for, reflecting Utilita’s ethos of engaging with and supporting local communities. The team in Newport chose to fundraise for the Independent Arts to support disadvantaged groups who are socially isolated or suffering with poor mental health. The charity improves the well-being, quality of life and reduces social isolation and helps reduce the strain on already limited resources.
“The energetic Hub team will happily put in the leg work and would be grateful for your donations via a dedicated JustGiving page to help them on their way.
Hannah Griffiths, Operations Manager at Independent Arts, comments on why the support of Utilita volunteers is so welcome during this time: “We are delighted to have been chosen as the Newport Hub team’s charity of choice. The funds raised will help us continue our work using the arts as a tool to improve health and wellbeing and change lives on the Isle of Wight at a time when our work is needed more than ever.
“A huge thank you to all those taking part in this challenge and generously donating to help improve the lives of people in their local island community.”
Visit the Newport Energy Hub JustGiving page here.
