Dermot Bannon hunting Waterford's everyday heroes 'who deserve a little warmth' this winter

Dermot Bannon is asking the people of Waterford and beyond to help spread some warmth this winter by nominating a deserving friend, neighbour or family member for a special treat - and one lucky winner will receive a surprise visit from Dermot himself.

The much-loved architect and presenter of RTÉ's Room to Improve has teamed up with Irish company WillowWarm for its Random Acts of Warmness campaign, which celebrates kindness, connection and cosy moments during the winter season.

Ten nominees from across Ireland will receive a beautifully curated winter hamper worth over €300, filled with premium WillowWarm briquettes and a selection of heart-warming goodies.

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"We all know someone who deserves a little warmth this winter, maybe they've helped a friend or have gone out of their way to be kind," said Dermot Bannon.

"Now you can give them back some of that warmth by nominating them to win a WillowWarm winter hamper worth over €300."

Nominations are now open for friends, neighbours or family members who've gone the extra mile to help others, from dropping in a dinner to offering a listening ear.

The WillowWarm delivery team will hand-deliver the hampers to the winners' doorsteps while capturing the heartwarming reactions, and one very lucky person will receive their prize directly from Dermot Bannon himself.

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As we all turn up the heat during this cold spell, expensive home energy bills and heightened awareness of the climate crisis have everyone on the lookout for more eco-friendly heating solutions. WillowWarm Briquettes are a carbon-neutral, sustainably grown home fuel produced in Co Meath that is good for the country, the environment and your pocket.

"I am always looking for sustainable solutions when designing, insulating and renovating a home, to make it as warm and cosy as possible but also as economic to run," said Dermot.

"You can't beat the cosiness of a fire or a stove on a cold winter evening. What I love about burning WillowWarm is its 100% carbon neutral, that can be used on a daily basis and it's better for the environment than fossil fuels, the country and even better, your pocket. I wouldn't use anything else in my home."

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Dermot also shared some of his best advice for keeping homes snug this winter.

1. Invest in insulation, walls first, then your attic and floors like an overcoat for your house. After that, replace single glazed windows with triple glazing.

2. Ensure your boiler is serviced to make sure it is working efficiently. Install timeclocks on your boiler so your home can be heated before you arrive home. You should also install thermostats on your radiators if you don't have them, this means the heat will only be on when it's needed.

3. Stop draughts by sealing up any unused fireplaces. Heavy curtains are really effective for keeping heat in your home and ensuring all doors have proper seals

Nominations are now open at WillowWarm.ie, where people can share why their chosen friend, neighbour or relative deserves to be recognised for their warm-hearted ways this winter.