Heating and renewable specialists 0800 Repair were amongst the winners at this year’s Regional Energy Efficiency Awards (North West) 2026 held in Bolton.
0800 Repair is one of three installers as part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority ECO4 Flex project that were recognised in the Regional Large Scale Project (>250K) of the Year. Other partners include Improveasy and Next Energy Solutions Limited.
The awards recognise best practice within the energy saving and efficiency sector and organisations compete in 13 categories.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) created a framework in 2023 so that vulnerable households could access energy company funded insulation and upgraded heating with their homes. The ten local authorities within the Combined Authority helped to identify fuel poor and vulnerable households who may benefit from heating and energy saving measures.
The GMCA appointed three installers onto the framework to provide installation in ten council areas. 0800/PHS was selected to work in Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside.
Services required by GMCA asked installers to develop, deliver and manage a holistic LA Flex service for households and installations included: insulation works, low carbon heating systems, renewable energy installations, heating system upgrades and repairs, draught proofing.
In the ‘Large Scale Project of the Year’ category, where energy efficiency measures of more than £250,000 have been installed, companies and projects had to demonstrate delivery of a successful large scale energy saving project, while maintaining excellent customer service that demonstrates a high standard of quality workmanship throughout the project.
Between April 2023 and April 2025, 0800 Repair installed at 998 properties and contributed £40,000 in social value to each of the four GMCA areas. Between April 2025 to date, 0800 Repair has completed 357 installations on the ECO4 and GBIS scheme, which works out on average, installation of 2.5 measures per property and an average annual bill saving of £517 per property.
Erik Coates, Energy Services Director at 0800 Repair, said: “We are delighted to be recognised in these awards for our work with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the delivery of the ECO4 Flex project.
“We have a long-established relationship with the GMCA and are incredibly proud to deliver energy saving measures to customers’ homes in Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. This is wonderful news and congratulations to all involved.”
Tina Gandhi, Principal Environmental Strategy Officer within the GM Environment Team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, said: “We’re delighted to win the Regional Large-Scale Project of the Year at the Regional Energy Efficiency Awards for our ECO4 Flex Scheme. We were up against some excellent contenders, which makes this win all the more meaningful.
“We are incredibly proud of the project, but even more proud of the partnership behind it. All three companies, 0800 Repair, Next Energy and Improveasy, have been an absolute joy to work with. Their professionalism, the teams’ hard work, and the genuinely collaborative way we’ve delivered this scheme together has made all the difference. Thank you, truly. Thank you so much for all your hard work.”
North East housing provider, North Star Homes Group has awarded a new 5-year heating servicing and maintenance contract to heating and renewable specialists 0800 Repair.
The £2.5 million contract will see 0800 Repair deliver heating services to North Star’s 3,500 homes across the Tees Valley, North Yorkshire, County Durham, and Tyne and Wear areas. 0800 Repair will deliver a fully compliant, 24/7 heating service including annual statutory servicing, landlord gas safety record, safety checks and responsive repairs.
The contract was awarded via a competitive tender using ProcurePlus’ Installation and Repair Framework – North East, Yorkshire and Humberside 2024 Lot 5 – Heating. The framework includes regionalised Lots for the North East and for Yorkshire and Humberside and includes all heating and maintenance works.
The firm which specialises in insulation, heating and renewable energy solutions for homes across the UK has been delivering heating repairs services to North Star’s customers for the last four years, with a great first time fix rate on repairs and over 90% customer satisfaction score across both workstreams.
Michael Pallister, Operations Director at 0800 Repair, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded a place on North Star’s framework with a contract for the next five years. We are very passionate about supporting and working in collaboration with our landlord partners across the North East and we look forward to working with North Star’s customers who have reported high levels of satisfaction with our service.”
Adam Pearce, Head of Property and Compliance at North Star Housing Group, said: “We are pleased to award this contract to 0800 Repair following a competitive procurement process. They have already demonstrated strong performance delivering heating repairs for our customers, with high satisfaction levels and a strong first-time fix rate. This new contract will ensure our homes remain safe, warm and fully compliant, while continuing to provide a responsive and reliable service for our customers.”
A leading North East energy firm is celebrating its commitment to recruiting apprentices and the impact they make on the business by giving them valuable on-site work experience whilst completing their qualifications.
National firm PHS Home Solutions, which is headquartered in Houghton-le-Spring and includes 0800 Repair, Oakes Energy Services and PHS Solutions, currently supports 23 apprentices across the entire business.
The firm which specialises in insulation, heating and renewable energy solutions for homes and business across the UK is leading the way to supporting apprentices and providing them with the experience and qualifications they need to succeed in their careers.
Heating and gas engineers, building services engineers, electricians, joiners and customer services apprentices are just some of the full-time roles that have been filled within the business.
Faith Pallister, 18, has been working at 0800 Repair for a year and half and joined as a Customer Service Apprentice. After leaving school she always wanted to work with animals and pursue a career in veterinary nursing but didn’t have the qualifications needed so she applied for an apprenticeship role to give her valuable experience of working in Customer Services and to pass her Level 2 Maths and English qualifications.
Working with Zenith Training, her tutor comes on site to work with Faith on a one-to-one basis and is on track to complete her apprenticeship later this year. She said: “I have learnt so much in this role and 0800 Repair has been brilliant and supported me through my apprenticeship. You need good customer service in any job and the role has given me the confidence to listen and talk to customers. Apprenticeships are a great way to get first-hand work experience while gaining additional qualifications – I’d recommend it to anyone thinking of wanting to push themselves further.”
Apprenticeships are not just for school leavers and young people. Dale Green, 42, is working as an apprentice gas engineer at 0800 Repair and over the last year and a half, hasn’t looked back. He is a welder fabricator by trade, but after working for the same company for over 20 years in various roles, he decided on a completely different career change and realised an apprenticeship would give him that platform.
He has almost completed his 15-month apprenticeship and the company has supported him to attend training with Ignite Training in North Shields one day per week. He is just waiting for his End Point Assessment (EPA), which is the final, independent test for apprentices in England, evaluating if they have achieved occupational competence in their field.
Commenting on his role, Dale said: “Age shouldn’t be a barrier to learning a new career or gaining additional qualifications. This apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do and I am very grateful to 0800 Repair for supporting me. Hopefully, I can continue to apply my trade here with the company and give something back to them for supporting me. I enjoy the challenges of the job and working and meeting new customers each day.”
Another apprentice making a difference is Chris Sime, 19, who works as a Design Engineer with Oakes Energy Services. After completing work experience in the sector, he left school and applied for a Level 3 Building Services Engineering Technician Course and is studying at Newcastle College University Centre for a Level 5 Foundation Degree in Electrical Engineering.
His role is to design and price Solar PV systems on commercial buildings and believes the apprenticeship has developed him quicker than going to college or sixth form. He commented: “Being able to be taught from leading engineers in the industry, also helps me grow more as person, as I am pushed into more scenarios like client meetings that make me gain confidence.”
Last year, Chris impressed industry bosses so much he picked up the 2025 North East Apprentice of the Year award at the Energy Efficiency Awards and is keen to develop further. He said: “I feel I have been able to make a positive impact within the office and I am now also a mentor to our two newer apprentices. I would 100% recommend an apprenticeship route to others, due to the real work experience that you gain within your dream industry being very hard to come by in the earlier stages of your life.”
Michael Pallister, Operations Director at 0800 Repair said: “As an organisation that is committed to creating and supporting apprenticeships, we are pleased to be able to support so many apprentices across the business. Reading Faith, Dale and Chris’ experiences, regardless of age, if you are focussed and want to succeed, you can be successful and 0800 Repair and Oakes will support you on that journey.”
The company is highlighting its commitment to supporting apprentices as part of National Apprenticeship Week – a week-long celebration (9-15 February) that brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.
Delivering social value through our partnership with Gentoo, we responded to their call to support a local children’s charity by helping to upgrade their facilities.
Together with nine other partners, vital building works have been carried out at Love, Amelia based in Sunderland, who support babies, children, and families across the North East.
We installed two new water heaters (including an 80l unit to meet higher demand), a new wash station and an outside tap.
Our electrical team also fitted new trunking and sockets throughout their newly created office spaces, plus relocated the washing machine for easier access.
The expansion has allowed Love, Amelia to improve and increase much needed storage facilities, create meeting rooms and confidential spaces for families being supported by the charity. They will be able to store and distribute more essential items, including clothing, baby equipment, and toys, to families experiencing hardship.
0800 Repair colleagues volunteered their own time over a weekend to complete the building work, helping to transform the charity’s space and increase its capacity to support families in need. The initiative was made possible through generous contributions from Gentoo’s supplier network, who provided materials, expertise, and hands-on support.
Jonathan Parker, Site Manager at 0800 Repair, said: “We are delighted to support Gentoo and this wonderful charity which provides vital support to families in need. It’s always rewarding to see how these small but meaningful upgrades help local charities like Love, Amelia continue their amazing work in the community.”
Steph Capewell, Founder and Chief Executive at Love, Amelia said: “We are incredibly grateful to Gentoo, Jewson Partnership Solutions, and all of the partners who made this expansion possible.
“This project is an excellent example of the social value that can be created when organisations come together with a shared purpose. The generosity of those who not only provided materials but also gave their own time outside of working hours has been remarkable. Their commitment has transformed our space at a critical time, giving us the storage and private space for families and partners we urgently needed.
“With demand for our services continuing to rise, this expansion strengthens our ability to support children and families across the North East and would not have been possible without these partnerships.”
For more information about Love, Amelia and the support they provide, please click here.