In February, we successfully hosted our annual workshops with our funded partners across the north and south of the region in collaboration with Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water and South West Water. The event saw an impressive turnout, with 33 attendees representing 27 organisations.
During the workshops, we provided updates on our ongoing initiatives aimed at raising awareness and increasing the uptake of our affordability schemes and Priority Services. We also reviewed the encouraging growth in the number of customers receiving support across our region.
Engaging group discussions were held to explore strategies for targeting those most in need of support and identifying the diverse groups of customers who could benefit. We are committed to working through the valuable feedback and suggestions received over the coming months.
Our community outreach coordinators (New community drop-in service launched for customers) introduced themselves to the partners and shared insights into their activities since initiating face-to-face community engagement in June. Additionally, the Navigate charity presented best practices for addressing gambling harm including effective identification, training and support provided to their agency, as well as referral outcomes with other partners. The session on gambling harm was particularly enlightening, with partners sharing their own best practices and strategies for raising awareness.
This annual event is always a highlight for us, providing a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with our funded partners. It fosters networking, idea-sharing and strengthens the collaboration and relationships that are crucial for supporting our customers in need of assistance with their bills.
We look forward to continuing our work together and making a positive impact in our communities.
