The award is given to someone who has made a significant impact and contribution toward tackling fuel poverty in Scotland.

Kamila has worked with, and supported, thousands of fuel poor and vulnerable households in Scotland for over 17 years. She established, managed, and delivered several financial inclusion projects, including those that aim to break the cycles of child poverty; tackling those most vulnerable who are ‘hard to reach’ and extremely fuel poor.

One of Kamila’s achievements is the ‘deep end’ pilot she delivered through a money advice centre in partnership with the NHS. The initiative brought essential financial inclusion services to medical surgeries across Glasgow, ensuring that those in need could access much-needed welfare support in places they were most likely to visit.

Kamila established the energy project at WHA where she delivers the holistic welfare rights and financial inclusion service, with a great focus on helping people lower their household energy costs by drawing on a wealth of knowledge and extensive access to resources. Leading a dedicated team, Kamila hopes to expand WHA’s services to reach even more tenants and homeowners who have yet to engage with available support but perhaps are suffering in cold homes. She has also fostered partnerships with both local and national organisations, ensuring that the complex needs of the local community are met through collaborative efforts.

Kamila’s legal background and multilingual skills allow her to deliver specific projects to ethnic minority communities often presenting with complex matters. She is a frequent speaker and contributor in the field of social security law and multidimensional aspects of inequalities and poverty.

“Through sheer hard work, determination and resilience Kamila has secured tremendous outcomes for people in some of the most difficult of circumstances,” said Energy Action Scotland chief executive, Frazer Scott.

Jonathan Grant, CEO of Williamsburgh Housing Association, said: “Everyone at WHA is proud of what Kamila has achieved. Her passion and commitment to help customers is first class. I’m delighted that EAS has recognised her contribution in this way.”

Lesley Ferrie, head of housing, added: “It is with great pride and admiration that we recognize Kamila for receiving the National Fuel Poverty Hero award. This prestigious honour highlights her unwavering dedication to fighting fuel poverty and supporting those in our communities. Through her tireless work, Kamila has not only demonstrated exceptional commitment to alleviating the challenges faced by those in need of energy support but has also been a driving force in creating long-lasting, positive change.

“Kamila has gone above and beyond to ensure that individuals and families facing fuel poverty have access to the help, resources, and advocacy they deserve. Her passion for making a difference and her collaborative spirit have made an undeniable impact on the individuals she works with. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and the compassion she brings to this important work every day.”

Kamila said: “I wish to thank the Head of Housing and my colleagues at WHA who helped to achieve the outcomes for our tenants and who recognise the holistic financial wellbeing service combating fuel poverty as important and needed. They trusted me on establishing the energy project at our housing association that cares about the community it serves. I dedicate this award to everyone who nominated me, and to my Dad who used to say: ‘do the right thing always’.”