A CAMPAIGN to raise awareness about saving energy and money by switching off unused lights and appliances has been hailed a success.

The Switch it Off campaign, backed by your Worcester News, finished with a high-profile finale yesterday when Worcester Cathedral turned off all of its lights.

The exercise formed the main focus of the Big Switch Off – an initiative aimed at encouraging everbody across the county to turn off as many lights and appliances as possible between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.

Worcestershire achieved a five per cent reduction in energy demand during last year’s Big Switch Off. This year’s results, which were being monitored by Central Networks, will not be known for a couple of weeks.

Sustainability officer at Worcestershire County Council, which is behind the campaign, Liz Alston said: “We are really pleased with how things have gone so far.

“Local businesses and organisations are taking part as well as lots of schools and we know from speaking to people at events run during the week that a lot of people have said they will be switching off at home.

“There seems to be a lot of interest in how to save energy at home and we have been letting people know about home insulation grants that are available.”

For more information on home insulation grants call 0800 512500.

Meanwhile, the Worcester family whose progress we followed throughout the week said the lessons they have learnt from taking part in the Switch it Off campaign could potentially save them about £15 every month. Jody Bate, of Albany Terrace, off Upper Tything, said: “The key thing is we didn’t really suffer any loss of luxuries, we were just lean with them and not running everything for the sake of it.

“We have just had the attitude that if you’re not in a room, don’t use the power in it.

“We were pretty economical to start with, so for most people, like our next- door neighbours who just use their electricity and pay the bills without thinking about it, there’s much more to be saved.”

Mr Bate said that the biggest recommendation he could give to people would be to buy energy-saving lightbulbs.