Solar panels help to secure sustainable future for Tuppenny Barn

Solar panels help to secure sustainable future for Tuppenny Barn
Maggie Haynes, founder of Tuppenny Barn

Southbourne charity Tuppenny Barn saw its energy bills rise from £300 a month with heating to £1,000 without in just two years.

“It was jackets on for everybody,” said founder Maggie Haynes.

But a generous offer by a local solar company to install 10 solar panels and a battery free of charge has made a huge difference - and so this winter, the heating will go back on.

“The volunteers will be delighted,” said Maggie.

It all started after a conversation with Chichester district councillor Derek Irvine, who had just seen Mike Turner, the now-retired director of Solar Voltaics. Derek suggested Maggie meet Mike, and it turned out he had 10 unused solar panels he was willing to donate.

It was a project two years in the making, but this summer the panels were installed and the charity is already seeing savings.

The solar panels at Tuppenny Barn

“We're hugely grateful,” said Maggie. “We’ve definitely already seen a difference in our energy bills.”

And saving money isn’t the only benefit. Solar panels on the Education Centre, which was already a green building with a heat pump, just adds to the charity’s sustainable values.

Tuppenny Barn started in 2005 when Maggie Haynes purchased the smallholding in Southbourne to teach children about growing organic food and healthy eating. Now the charity has grown to offer six green therapy programmes alongside its educational arm. 

It runs programmes for young people, including young carers and disadvantaged children, who spend time outdoors growing food and flowers. And school visits help children learn about where food comes from and how to cook it. 

Programmes for adults include Sow and Thrive, for vulnerable people who may be out of work, isolated or living with mental health issues. It aims to build people’s confidence and improve their health, and many participants return to work or volunteering as a result. Maggie, who has 20 years’ experience in the Forces, has also started a horticultural therapy course for female veterans. 

The Education Centre at the Southbourne charity

A pop-up shop runs from the Education Centre each Thursday and Saturday, where fresh organic produce from the smallholding is on sale. And there are many other events throughout the year, including the upcoming Tupp Fest on October 4, which will mark 20 years of Tuppenny Barn with a family festival.

The new solar panels are one part of keeping Tuppenny Barn sustainable in the long term - and the charity is also fundraising for Transforming Tuppenny, an ambitious project to build a new zero-carbon community centre and cafe to help secure the future of the organisation.

To find out more about Transforming Tuppenny, visit: tuppennybarn.co.uk/transforming-tuppenny/

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