TWO Teesdale charities have saved substantial amounts of cash, thanks to a social enterprise aimed at helping people cut their bills when they switch energy suppliers.
Teesdale YMCA, which is part of North Tyneside YMCA, and the TCR Hub, in Barnard Castle, have saved almost £45,000 on their combined utilities bills thanks to SwitchAid.org, an energy and communications switching service, and are also to receive grants of more than £2,000.
Rachel Dyne, operations manager at Teesdale YMCA, signed up to SwitchAid.org last year after a long standing energy contract came up for renewal.
SwitchAid.org, based in Gateshead, managed to save the charity and its its partner, North Tyneside YMCA., £23,981.51 by identifying cheaper utility providers.
The company, which was set up two years ago, discovered Teesdale YMCA had been paying 20 per cent VAT instead of the five per cent charitable rate. The company managed to help gain an £886 rebate.
Commission paid by suppliers for any new contracts are normally retained as fees by comparison websites but are handed out as grants by SwitchAid. This means The Hub is to receive £1,400 and Teesdale YMCA £684.
Ms Dyne said: “The money we have saved and the significant grant we are receiving will go towards maintaining the valuable services we provide to the hundreds of young people who often only need a friendly face and a little extra help to get them back on track with their lives.”
Delighted with the savings Ms Dyne introduced TCR Hub, in Shaw Bank, to the energy switch company.
After a quick check, SwitchAid found suppliers offering much lower rates to the charity.
They decided to switch to a deal that generated the largest grant for the centre and fixed pricing for the next five
years, saving more than £20,000.
Facilities manager Jonny Elliot said: “If we can save money on our bills, then its cash that can then be better focused on helping us
deliver our much-needed services.”
SwitchAid.org is a not-for-profit company that also encourages users to nominate charities or good causes.
Dom Ryan, a director with SwitchAid.org, said: “Our whole ethos is to generate revenue that can be redirected into the local community, cash that would normally be lost to energy and telecoms companies and consultants who keep the hefty commissions.
“As a registered Community Interest Company ourselves we have to put at least 65 per cent of our profits back into good works in the local community so ethically we are aligned perfectly within the sector we are helping.”
