The following is an email newsletter from the St Agnes Miners & Mechanics’ Institute. Sign up to the MMI newsletter here

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Hi all,

Today we’re launching Power the MMI, our new Crowdfunder campaign to help bring solar panels to the MMI.

We know. Solar panels might not be the most glamorous thing we’ve ever asked people to get behind. They don’t sing, dance, serve coffee or put on a very good Christmas show.

But they could make a huge difference to the day-to-day running of the building.

Like many community buildings, the MMI has significant running costs, and energy is one of the biggest pressures we face. Bringing solar to the building would help us generate more of our own electricity, reduce electricity costs over time, reduce our environmental impact, and make the MMI more sustainable for the future.

The full solar project is expected to cost around £50,000. We’re aiming to raise £25,000 through this Crowdfunder, while actively applying for grants and other funding to cover the rest. Reaching our Crowdfunder target would put us in a much stronger position to secure the full amount and make the project happen.

The proposed solar system is estimated to generate around 21,000 kWh of electricity a year and reduce the building’s carbon emissions by several tonnes annually.

So yes, this is a practical project. But it’s also part of something bigger: making sure the MMI is easier to run, less exposed to rising energy costs, and better set up for the years ahead.

If you’d like to support the campaign, you can donate here.

Every contribution helps. And if you’re not able to donate at the moment, sharing the campaign with friends, family or local groups really does make a difference too.

Thanks so much, as ever, for supporting the MMI.

Hilary and the MMI Team