A funding scheme set up to help businesses invest in energy-efficient equipment has provided a Gloucestershire organisation with a financial boost.

Westbury Village Hall, used by many local sporting clubs and associations, has won more than £900 of equipment funding from the Carbon Trust.

The Carbon Trust Green Business Fund offers businesses and community groups up to £10,000 towards energy efficient equipment and is available to SMEs for a limited time only.

Capital contributions are based on the current energy usage and potential energy savings that could be made through switching to energy efficient equipment.

With existing gas fired kitchen equipment having been condemned, the committee decided to invest in the very latest energy efficient induction cooking technology, manufactured by Carbon Trust accredited suppliers Target Catering Equipment, based in Bristol Road, Gloucester.

Westbury committee member and project manager Jan D'Ambrogio said: "The gas kitchen was struggling to cope with the growing demands of the hall.

"Having been condemned due to the latest gas safe regulations we weighed up our options and, as advised by Target Catering Equipment, decided to apply for the Green Business Funding Scheme to see if we could get a capital contribution towards the induction cooking equipment we dreamed of."

"With the help of Nicola Pedrette, Target's Carbon Trust funding advisor, we were able to demonstrate the significant savings that would be made by switching from gas to induction and we were awarded over £900 capital contribution to our project."

Now, with the new equipment in place, the village hall is fast becoming known as one of the best community run facilities within the county and is attracting more and more events and organisations.

Nicola Pedrette said: "We are delighted that Westbury Village Hall has been awarded the funding from the Carbon Trust and that we have been able to help in this process.

"Although only a seemingly small contribution in comparison to other businesses running commercial kitchens, it has undoubtedly helped a community hall, local to us, achieve a facility for the future."

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