The winter chills are fast approaching, but don’t fret, Taikura Trust have come up with a new community initiative to combat the upcoming wintery blasts.

The new initiative is called Bright Mortar and its purpose is to support disabled people and their families /Whanau to improve the quality of their home living environment, by insulating homes and installing clean, energy-efficient heating.

Taikura Trust has been allocated funding to retrofit the homes of 500 families across New Zealand before 30 June 2010.

Bright Mortar has been established to support people with a physical, intellectual, sensory, psychiatric or age-related disability or people with a family member living in their home who has a physical, intellectual, sensory, psychiatric or age-related disability, to access the Warm Up NZ Heat Smart programme. (A programme launched by the government in October 2009.)

In partnership with Home&dry - a division of Fletcher Building and a certified Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) service provider - Bright Mortar will oversee the home assessment and the EECA funded subsidy.

Home&dry will carry out a home assessment and provide a no obligation, free quote.

For homes built prior to 2000, homeowners and / or landlords with tenants WHO DO NOT HOLD Community Service Cards are able to access a subsidy for insulation and clean heat. For the insulation the government will pay 33% of the total cost up to a maximum of $1300 (incl GST) For the clean heat the Government will provide a $500 (incl GST) subsidy towards the cost of installing a clean heating device.

For homes built prior to 2000, landlords with tenants WHO HOLD Community Service Cards are able to access a subsidy for insulation and clean heat. For insulation the Government will pay 60% of the total cost. For clean heat the Government will provide a $500 (incl GST) subsidy towards the cost of installing a clean heating device.

The home insulation package includes ceiling and under-floor insulation, hot water cylinder wrap, pipe lagging, draught-stopping and ground moisture barrier.

The government subsidises a number of clean heating devices, which include heat pumps, wood burners, pellet fires and gas heating.

If you and / or your organisation are interested in finding out more about the home insulation and clean heat grants/subsidies, please feel free to contact Kate Williams on 09 277 3855 or freephone on 0800 MORTAR (0800 667 827) Cellphone 027 588 3337 Email katew@brightmortar.org.nz.

Ross Flood rflood@cpsociety.org.nz