Air Source Heat Pump
Leckhampton Rovers Football Club (LRFC) were allocated £5,000 from the Cheltenham Borough Council’s CheltenhamZero Community Fund to install a of Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) at the Burrows Playing Fields, Moorend Road.
This is part of a wider refit which aims to run the whole building on renewable energy. The building will be insulated with new windows and doors fitted, it will have solar panels for heating and water as well as the ASHP.
This impactful project will go beyond carbon reduction by supporting the club’s ambition include more youth football, commence women’s football, start walking football, provide disability football and also work with local charities.
Advantages of an Air Source Heat Pump:
- Highly efficient source of heat & hot water
- It can be zero carbon if used with a renewable tariff
- Can closely match running costs of other home heating systems
- Low maintenance with a long service life
Air source heat pumps are one of the most efficient heating methods. The Energy Saving Trust states, it costs about 4.6p/kWh to heat a home with gas and about 9 -16p/kWh with standard electric heaters (figures 2021). Whereas to run a typical air source heat pump might cost about 4.7p/kWh.
What is the CheltenhamZero Community Fund?
Cheltenham Borough Council’s roadmap to eliminate the borough’s carbon footprint included a climate action fund to help finance the road to zero carbon. In 2021 the borough council made available a pot of funding, worth £50,000, to allocate to local community organisations for funding to support climate emergency activities across Cheltenham.
Tree Planting
Leckhampton Rovers FC has recently planted 1,268 trees at its new home ground, the Burrow’s Fields in Cheltenham. A real community effort saw the trees being planted at the north end of the Burrow’s. This involved club members, volunteers and many children from local schools and the playgroup. The trees will enhance the habitat and ensure the environment is improved outside of the football pitches which have just been developed.
Below shows the Burrow’s Fields before and after the trees were planted.
The trees were provided free of charge by the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund as part of Gloucestershire County Council’s aim to plant 1 million trees by 2030. Fantastic support for the project was provided the team from Cheltenham Borough Council.