‘Community groups are bring down energy bills and invest the savings in service they provide in Southwark’, says Peckham MP

By Miatta Fahnbulleh

18th July 2025

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Miatta Fahnbulleh

“We’re saving the club money that can go towards things we wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise.”

That’s how 14-year-old Jayden, a long-time member of Westminster House Youth Club in Nunhead, described the impact of their new solar panels. The club has seen its electricity bills fall from £10,000 a year to just £2,000 and they are on course to get to £0. And that saving has a huge impact for the club.

Westminster House youth club is more than bricks and mortar. It’s a place of safety, creativity and purpose for hundreds of young people. For over a century, it’s provided trusted support to children, teenagers and their families—offering everything from after-school clubs and mentoring to hot meals, residential trips and activities that boost health, wellbeing and confidence.

The club gives young people the tools to grow, learn and thrive—and offers families a sense of community and support. So, when the club’s energy bills started spiralling, the question wasn’t just how to pay them. It was how to ensure that the club’s vital funds were protected to contribute towards the essential work the club does for its members and their families.

Their investment in renewable energy was supported by the Southwark Community Energy Fund.

The fund is a council initiative created by a Labour council which exists to support community and voluntary groups, co-ops, faith organisations, schools and youth services across the borough. It backs projects that reduce carbon emissions and provide benefit to the community — from panels and lighting to training and workshops that tackle fuel poverty.

Most importantly, it provides our community groups with the opportunity to take back ownership over their energy supplies, bring down bills and invest the savings in service they provide.

At Westminster House, their investment in solar panels was made possible with investment from this Fund, supported by all three Nunhead Labour Councillors.

Solar panels now power the building and are saving the club £8,000 a year. The money saved is going straight back into food, youth work, support sessions, Duke of Edinburgh programmes, activities which make a lasting difference in young people’s lives. At a place like Westminster House, a lower energy bill doesn’t just improve the balance sheet—it expands what’s possible for the community.

This is what community energy looks like when it works. It’s freedom from soaring bills and prices set by far-away forces. It’s power staying with the people who need it most.

We’ve already seen how that’s playing out across Southwark. Bermondsey Central Hall has cut its electricity use by more than half. Kingswood Arts is reimagining a sustainable future that protects its heritage. Flashy Wings Ministry is using funding to empower women and girls with the knowledge and tools to manage energy costs and build resilience.

Each of these projects is different. But they’re all part of the same mission: local energy, local ownership, local benefit. When a community generates its own power, it keeps more of its money, has more freedom to choose how that money is used, and is better able to protect the things it values most.

Later this month, the next round of funding will be announced. I’m looking forward to seeing who’s next—because every successful bid is a step closer to a borough where the places we rely on most can thrive, not just survive.

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‘Community groups are bring down energy bills and invest the savings in service they provide in Southwark’, says Peckham MP

Miatta Fahnbulleh

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