'Fuel clubs' help keep costs down

A number of villages in Gloucestershire have set up their own so-called "fuel clubs" to combat rising energy prices.

Avening, Chedworth, Northleach, Farmington and Withington have formed their own groups to buy oil for heating their homes from a single supplier.

By purchasing in bulk, residents are able to sign up to a company that can offer a discount.

Roger Lindley, who is part of a fuel club in Avening, said members could often save a couple of pence a litre.

"If you're filling up your tank and you've got a normal sized domestic tank, you could probably save about £30 doing it this way," he said.

"So if you multiply that by 20 or 30 people, it's a significant saving."

Chedworth Oil Club has 150 members, run by volunteers.

One of the organisers, Ted Broughton, said their supplier offered incentives.

"Every year, he gives us 500 litres to be (raffled) drawn from among our members," he said.

"He also gives us a small bonus about £200 depending on the club's through-put for the year and that goes towards village projects."

Their supplier, Adrian Sweet, said fuel clubs had started appearing in the last two or three years.

"They seem really successful," he said.

"We must do in all about 15 to 20 clubs and we're taking new ones on all the time."