University students lend expertise to fuel poverty initiative as Oh Yes! partnership gathers pace

Half a dozen students from the University of Hull are supporting the growth of a fuel poverty initiative as a successful sustainability programme enters its next phase.

Membership campaign Oh Yes! Net Zero is working with the university to connect its 170-plus active members with students, to advance a variety of sustainability projects.

A successful pilot project at Hull-based digital printing and reprographics specialist Springfield Solutions saw University graduate Hemant Joshi complete a comprehensive review of the company’s transport and delivery operations, with an aim to reduce both cost and carbon emissions.

As the project expands, six students are working with End Energy Poverty CIC – co-founded by sustainability consultancy BACB Renewables and social enterprise CERT CIC – to help community organisations and vulnerable individuals reduce their energy bills, save money and cut carbon.

The students are helping End Energy Poverty to develop an impactful, cross-channel marketing and communications strategy, focused on growing the initiative’s online presence and broadening its reach to support more communities.

Summer Godlieb is studying International Business at the University of Hull, and is one of the students involved in the project.

She said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to apply what we’re studying at university in a real-world business environment, working with a company to help tackle the cost of living crisis and make a positive difference to peoples’ lives.

“We hope our marketing and social media strategy will enable End Energy Poverty to reach even more communities in need of support. Initiatives like this are so important, and we’re proud to be playing our part.

“For us as students, working with End Energy Poverty will provide us with invaluable experience as we prepare to take our first career steps after university.”

The six University of Hull students involved in the project are supervised by Hattie Wilson-Mason, a 2025 alumnus of Hull University Business School, and the courses they are studying, are:

• Ajay Ayodeji – Marketing

• Alecia Castan – Business Management with Accounting

• Ethan Foreman – Business Management

• Summer Godlieb – International Business

• Ozioma Obi – Business Management with Human Resources Management

• Elena Velcheva – Business Management with Marketing

End Energy Poverty launched around 18 months ago, with an ambition to reduce energy costs, improve the quality of living, and reduce carbon footprints for community organisations, third-sector businesses, and vulnerable individuals, all of which contribute to the abolition of energy poverty.

With the initiative in its early growth stage, End Energy Poverty needs a focused, coordinated marketing approach to raise awareness of its work, engage with communities and build a pipeline of individuals and organisations seeking support with energy costs and carbon reduction challenges.

The students are developing a marketing strategy, focused predominantly on social media, which will help End Energy Poverty tackle the pressing issue of energy poverty and security, empowering communities with access to affordable, renewable energy.

End Energy Poverty’s Co-Founder, BACB Renewables, delivers Oh Yes! Net Zero’s Energy Clinics - fully-funded workshops which provide the campaign’s members with advice and support to reduce their energy bills and adopt more sustainable ways of working.

Lloyd Glanville, Managing Director of BACB Renewables, said: “Through our broader work with Oh Yes! Net Zero, we found out about the campaign’s partnership with the University of Hull, which is a perfect fit for what we’re trying to achieve at End Energy Poverty.

“As End Energy Poverty gathers momentum, it’s fantastic to have support from talented students who can bring their learnings and expertise to accelerate our mission to tackle energy poverty and support the transition to low carbon, renewable energy.

“For the students involved, it’s an invaluable opportunity to enhance their CV and professional development with real-world experience. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship, and we’re looking forward to seeing what ideas and strategies the students come up with.”

End Energy Poverty has already supported a variety of organisations in Hull and East Yorkshire, including Hull Sea Cadets, Holderness Area Rural Transport (HART), Hessle Road Network, and The Deep.

Businesses can support the initiative by becoming a Friend of End Energy Poverty, enabling more projects to progress which have a lasting positive impact on communities and organisations.

• To support End Energy Poverty, you can contact Harriet.Wilson-Mason@endenergypoverty.org.uk.  

To read more about the recent pilot project at Springfield Solutions, visit: www.ohyesnetzero.uk/news/oh-yes-net-zero-springfield-solutions-university-of-hull