Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance (DF4TA) has been awarded £1,335 from Electrical Safety First’s Electrical Safety Fund.
The money will help DF4TA safety test more donated fridges, freezers and fridge freezers so they can be rehomed quickly and safely with local people who are rebuilding their lives after crisis.
The grant will fund training for five volunteers from Jericho House Derby to become competent appliance testers. This will increase capacity within DF4TA’s Furniture and Electrical Project, helping the charity test and rehome essential cooling appliances for households who would otherwise go without.
For many Derby households referred to DF4TA after homelessness, domestic abuse, hospital discharge or other crises, a safe, working fridge or freezer can be the difference between getting back on track or falling further behind. By increasing the project’s testing capacity, DF4TA will be able to provide more safe, reliable fridges and freezers at very low cost (typically £20–£30) to people who cannot afford them.
Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance, which is based in Derby, expects the project will directly benefit around 100 households (approximately 200 people) through the supply of safety-checked appliances, while also sharing practical electrical safety information through DF4TA’s networks of referral partners, volunteers, supporters and local businesses.
Ann Mills, Furniture and Electrical Project Coordinator at DF4TA, said: “A safe fridge or freezer can be the difference between a family getting back on their feet or going without the basics. This funding means we can safety-test more donated fridges, freezers and fridge freezers here in Derby and get them into homes faster — at a price people can afford. It also gives volunteers from Jericho House Derby a recognised practical skill they can take forward as they rebuild their own lives.”
Scott, a DF4TA volunteer from Jericho House Derby who has completed the training, said: “I chose to do the PAT testing course to gain a practical qualification that can help me move towards stable employment. I’m not long out of rehab and I don’t have much formal education, so this opportunity through Food for Thought is a positive step forward. It’s helping me rebuild, learn useful skills and contribute to the community in a constructive way.”
The £1,335 grant will be used to cover a bespoke on-site PAT testing course for five volunteers (delivered by Plugtest), alongside essential safety equipment and materials including PPE, associated safety training, safety posters, a first-aid kit, and ID badges/uniform.
DF4TA also wants to expand the project to include washing machine testing, but this will only be possible with the right facilities in place. Any local business able to offer a suitable site or space to support safe washing machine testing is encouraged to get in touch.
The Electrical Safety Fund is an annual grant scheme run by the charity Electrical Safety First, offering grants of up to £5,000 for projects across the UK that aim to reduce domestic electrical risks and improve safety in the home.
Lesley Rudd, chief executive at Electrical Safety First, said: “We are delighted to award this grant to Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance (DF4TA). Our Electrical Safety Fund is designed to empower groups to help keep local people in their communities safe. Our website provides free advice for everyone to avoid fatal electrical fires and shocks in their home – visit electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk.”
