Market Drayton residents urged to get creative to raise attention over high energy bills

Sponsored by Market Drayton Climate Action, the quilt looks to bring people together for the purpose of community action – to highlight the problem of high energy bills and the waste of energy through poorly insulated housing.

Market Drayton Library is holding a box of materials that can be used for making squares, and completed squares can be returned to the library by October 31.

Nancy Stewart of Market Drayton Climate Action said: "We want to show that it’s important to our community that everyone should have a warm home.

"The quilt will give a voice to many individuals and groups, who are invited to use their square to express what a warm home means to them."

Once all of the individual pieces have been handed in, they will then be sewn together to create a quilt.

"We hope to show it to our MP when we deliver a petition calling for help for warm homes for all," Ms Stewart added.

Work has already started on the quilt, including contributions from visitors to the Ginger and Spice Festival who drew designs on paper and fabric, and suggested words to be worked into the quilt.

"There were some lovely squares made by children with fabric pens, as well as words like 'peace of mind', 'happy and safe'," Ms Stewart added.

The Market Drayton quilt is one of many being created across the country, as part of a national campaign United for Warm Homes.

The campaign calls for financial help for families in fuel poverty, a Government-funded programme to insulate homes, and more investment in renewable energy sources for cheaper, cleaner energy in the future.

Ms Stewart said: "People in Market Drayton and across the UK are paying sky-high energy bills and feeling the brunt of living in poorly insulated homes.

"But the solutions already exist. That’s why we are campaigning to show it matters to our community."