Last Thursday 12th February 2026, we had a brilliant afternoon at Good Food Matters in New Addington – celebrating a project that shows exactly what community energy can do when it’s rooted in a place and built around people.
We welcomed Natasha Irons MP (Croydon East) and Martin McCluskey MP, Minister for Energy Consumers, to see the solar panels Croydon Community Energy has installed on site, meet the team, and take a tour of the Community Food Learning Centre, a space that supports local families, isolated men, young people and refugees through cooking, growing and community programmes.
And the timing couldn’t have been better! The visit also marked the launch of the Government’s Local Power Plan last week – a major signal that community-owned energy is moving from “nice idea” to national priority.
A practical solar project with an immediate impact
Croydon Community Energy’s solar installation at Good Food Matters is a 13.65kWp community-owned system designed to reduce the site’s electricity costs and keep more money circulating locally. So far, GFM is on track to save £500 in the first year on energy bills.
Good Food Matters is exactly the kind of place solar should be powering: a community hub where people learn, cook, grow, share meals, build confidence, and access support when they need it most. Every pound saved on bills is a pound that can be redirected into the work that happens inside the building – from community cooking classes to the food bank.
During the visit, we talked through how the project works, why community ownership matters, and what’s possible when local organisations are supported to lead local solutions.
Natasha Irons MP: “Take back control of our energy — and its profits”
Natasha Irons MP, who represents Good Food Matter’s consituency Croydon East, spoke about what this project means for Croydon and why the Local Power Plan matters:
“The launch of the Government’s Local Power Plan opens exciting opportunities for communities like ours to take back control of our energy and importantly, its profits.” “The solar panel project at Good Food Matters is a perfect example of how community-owned power can fuel vital work that supports local families, isolated men, young people and refugees. Thanks to Croydon Community Energy’s installation, Amanda and the team save more than £500 a year on electricity bills – money that goes straight back into community cooking classes and the food bank.” “The Local Power Plan is backed by £1 billion – the largest investment in community-owned energy the UK has ever seen – I’m looking forward to seeing how public buildings and schools across Croydon will benefit.”
What the Local Power Plan could unlock for Croydon
Community energy groups have been proving the model for years: local people backing local infrastructure, with long-term benefits that stay in the community. But too often, the sector has been held back by patchy support, slow processes, and a system that’s hard for local projects to navigate.
The Local Power Plan is significant because it recognises that community energy needs more than good intentions, it needs real backing to scale. Done well, this could mean:
- More solar on community buildings like kitchens, libraries, leisure centres, faith buildings, and social clubs
- More community wealth-building, with revenue staying local instead of leaking out of the area
- Lower running costs for essential services, helping community organisations become more resilient
- More opportunities for schools and public buildings across Croydon to benefit from locally-owned clean energy
For us at Croydon Community Energy, it’s also a moment to say: Croydon is ready. We’ve got proven delivery, local partnerships, and a pipeline of places that could benefit – if the policy and funding environment finally meets the ambition.
What comes next
This visit wasn’t just a celebration, it was a chance to talk about what Croydon could look like with community energy at scale: public buildings and schools cutting bills, generating income locally, and building resilience against volatile energy prices.
We’ll be sharing more soon on how Croydon organisations can:
- explore hosting solar,
- support community ownership,
- and help make sure Croydon is first in line for the opportunities the Local Power Plan is meant to unlock.
If you represent a school, community building, or local organisation that wants to cut bills and turn your roof into a local asset, we’d love to hear from you!
