The Samaritans of Solihull received £12,250 from the npower Business Solutions (nBS) Foundation, to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and a battery storage system at its local branch. This provided a long-term renewable energy source to help reduce electricity costs, lower the charity’s carbon footprint, and improve operational sustainability, allowing savings to be re-invested in volunteer training, outreach work and mental health support.
Available for a population of more than 200,000 people in Solihull and the surrounding areas, the Samaritans of Solihull delivers round-the-clock emotional support to those in distress or at risk of suicide. Despite being part of the national Samaritans network, the Solihull branch is entirely self-funded, and it requires around £35,000 a year to cover essential operational costs, recruitment, training, outreach travel and more.
As a team of 110, everyone involved with the Samaritans of Solihull supports the cause on a voluntary basis. Funding is typically raised through activities including street collections, or applying for grants, but escalating energy costs were placing serious pressure on an already constrained budget.
For over a decade, the team wanted to install solar panels on the roof space of the branch, as part of its sustainability efforts. Yet, the high upfront costs involved with pursuing this meant it had never been an option.
Georgina, a support volunteer at Samaritans of Solihull, explains:
We're constantly thinking about how we can raise additional money after that initial £35,000, which is already a challenging target for us. Our volunteers were all so keen to have solar panels as part of our sustainability story, but it was just something where we thought: 'We’d love to have it, but where is the money going to come from?’
Georgina, Support Volunteer at Samaritans of Solihull,The grant from the nBS Foundation enabled the branch to finally turn this long-held vision for solar panels into reality. The funding covered the complete installation of 16 solar roof panels, an inverter and a critical battery storage system.
Because the branch operates 24/7, battery storage was vital. It allows the charity to capture excess energy generated during the day and use it to power the building during nighttime shifts, making sure the charity gets maximum efficiency from its renewable investment.
“The project boosted volunteer morale by showing them that the organisation is listening to their desire for sustainability and creating a building that’s fit for purpose,” adds Georgina. “And the application process was really easy too; with a 300-word limit for each answer, it was much more focused than other grant applications we’ve done. The grant money was also received so quickly - we had confirmation in September, and the work was all completed by February.”
The immediate result is a building that’s more efficient and a volunteer workforce that feels heard and empowered. Long-term, the impact is completely transformative for the branch.
By generating an estimated 4,190 kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean energy annually, the branch will significantly reduce its dependency on the grid. The money saved on utility costs will be reinvested directly into frontline services.
This includes funding the training of new volunteers, as well as expanding outreach programmes, such as suicide prevention at rail stations and mental health education in local schools.
Georgina adds: “The ability to fund early intervention initiatives is so important. Year after year, these ongoing savings mean the money can be used elsewhere in the budget, which makes such a big difference.”
Samaritans of Solihull can now focus on its core mission: ensuring someone’s always there to listen when someone’s in crisis.