Community Energy Fortnight (CEF) 2024 is a pivotal opportunity to make a significant impact in your local community by organising events that highlight the potential of community energy. From 1-14 July, we encourage you to engage with local politicians, residents, and energy enthusiasts to showcase how community energy can transform the UK’s energy system. If you're eager to get involved but unsure where to start, our Organise an Event Toolkit will guide you through the process.
We are excited to hear about the events you are planning for Community Energy Fortnight, as well as any other related activities. Please let us know as soon as you can so we can help promote them across our channels and in our dedicated CEF newsletters.
Organise a Site Visit
- Invite MPs and Candidates: Politicians are often keen to visit local projects. A site visit provides a tangible way to demonstrate the value of community energy and garner public support.
- Capture Testimonials: Get a testimonial from your MP on camera to use in future promotions (see our Create Video Toolkit).
A notable event is the tour of Westmill Wind Farm and Solar Park on 13 July. Westmill arranges this site tour every year as part of CEF, and it serves as a great example of an event your organisation could easily arrange. Consider inviting your new local MP to attend.
Organise or Support a Local Hustings
With the general election campaign coinciding with Community Energy Fortnight, local candidates will often attend hustings. This is a perfect opportunity to increase the visibility of community energy initiatives and ensure they are part of the political discourse.
If other hustings are being planned, collaborate with organisers to include community energy in the conversation. Friends of the Earth’s guide can help you organise a hustings.
More Tips for Organising Your Event
- Submit Your Event: Once planned, submit the details to the Community Energy Fortnight team to feature it on the CEF web page and in newsletters.
- Promote Your Event: Use social media, local media, community boards, and good old-fashioned posters and flyers (utilise our CEF graphics available to download here).
Go to Events
If you don’t have time to organise your own event, there is plenty going on in the sector throughout the month of July. Keep an eye on listed events on the CEF web page, as well as our newsletters for upcoming webinars, training and in-person gatherings. If you are from the Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, North East or surrounding areas, you might want to pop along to CEE’s regional conferences in York (3 July) or Newcastle (4 July).
If you are attending events in the sector, please shout about it on your social media platforms. Take photos, share insights and don’t forget to use the hashtag #EmpowerCommunityEnergy.
Community Energy Fortnight 2024 is your chance to make a real difference in your community. By organising or supporting an event, you help spread awareness, share knowledge, and empower local efforts towards a sustainable energy future. We look forward to hearing about your plans and seeing the positive impact you will create.
For more detailed guidance, refer to our CEF Comms Toolkit and the Organise an Event Toolkit.