Pontardulais Town Band is enjoying the benefits of new lighting in their bandroom after receiving a £2,000 grant from E.ON's Energising Communities Fund.

The old fluorescent tube lighting has now been replaced with energy efficient LED lights, reducing the glare and improving the quality of lighting for band members as well as visitors.

60 players

The west Wales band now has around 60 playing members with the bandroom used throughout the week for rehearsals by the senior, junior and beginner bands and the adult learners group.

Vice Chairman, Jayne Kinnear told 4BR: "We're noticing the difference now. The new lighting is clearer and sharper so we can read the music better and there should be fewer wrong notes!

Longer term, we hope to see our running costs drop as our energy bills fall. The lighting we've replaced was more than 20 years old, and made up the greatest proportion of our energy bills."

Through our Energising Communities Fund we're pleased to help support these kinds of projects, which can have a really positive impactSuzanne Roe, E.ON's Corporate Responsibility & Community Relations Manager

Positive impact

Suzanne Roe, E.ON's Corporate Responsibility & Community Relations Manager added: "Upgrading to more efficient lighting can offer worthwhile savings on energy use and therefore help to lower bills, as well as improving visibility, which is important to Pontardulais Town Band."

She added: "For community organisations like this, we'd always recommend looking at how you're using your energy and whether there's a straightforward way to boost efficiency and lower bills.

Through our Energising Communities Fund we're pleased to help support these kinds of projects, which can have a really positive impact."

Since E.ON's Energising Communities Fund was launched in 2013 more than £185,000 has been given away to over 100 community groups in Wales, England and Scotland.