MP endorses 2 million free energy saving light bulbs give-away
Paul Rowen MP today (Friday 26 September) endorsed a two million energy saving light bulb give-away at Rochdale town centre's Mecca Bingo and he even risked the wrath of hundreds of pensioners by calling a line.
The give-away is a joint initiative by Mecca Bingo and Southern Electric to help Mecca members save money by using less energy and reduce CO2 emissions as a result. In a first for the Bingo industry, both in the UK and internationally, every Mecca member can collect a free pack of two energy saving light bulbs during September by simply going into their Mecca club and swiping their membership card.
Organisers say that if all two million bulbs are used, then the potential savings are massive. Up to 69.3GWh of electricity could be saved per year which is enough energy to run all the street lights in the UK for a total of 12 days. The total cost saving would be £6.5 MILLION per year which is enough money to pay the energy bills of 6,200 families. Up to 26,000 tonnes of CO2 per year would be saved, which is the equivalent of 4,400 households or enough CO2 to fill 149,000 double decker buses and save the same CO2 as the annual emissions of 9,000 cars.
Commenting on the give-away, Paul Rowen MP said: "At a time when a lot of people are concerned about the rising costs of heating and lighting their homes, changing to energy-saving bulbs can be a great way of saving money. Fitting loft or cavity wall insulation can deliver even more savings. This campaign is giving practical and timely help to householders, particularly those living in fuel poverty.
"I congratulate Mecca Bingo and Southern Electric on this initiative and the help they are giving their customers to save energy, save money and - ultimately - save the planet. I enjoyed calling the bingo, but I'm afraid I may have lost a few votes with the losing customers."
Helen Swift, Manager of the Mecca Bingo club in Rochdale said, "We were really pleased that Paul could come down and support our campaign which is a really important initiative for us as it means we can reward our Mecca members and really make a difference not only to their finances but also in their efforts to go greener. The environment is a big concern for everyone so by doing this give-away we are helping our members take a positive step to reduce their energy consumption without hitting their pocket."
As part of the give-away, customers who are over the age of 70 or in receipt of qualifying benefits can take-up an offer for free loft and cavity wall insulation which will be handled by Southern Electric. The company says there are no catches - people should simply call the telephone number listed in the pack to find out if they qualify and to book the installation.
The free energy saving light bulbs will be available for members to collect throughout September at all Mecca Bingo clubs across the UK.