Wind farm fund awards over £30,000 to Northumberland community groups

Nine organisations will benefit from the latest round of grants issued by the EDF Barmoor Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

The largest grant of £9,828 goes to Wooler Young People’s Association for the salary of a youth worker.

A further £7,123 has been awarded to Lowick Parish Council for replacement swings and benches for the playground in the village.

Lowick Heritage Group gets £3,692 for equipment to prepare, undertake and analyse the next stage of an archaeological dig at Hunting Hall.

Wooler Skills Workshop receives £3,000 for tools and materials for home crafting.

The November Club is awarded £1,999 for a home-based digital project to support Northumbrian first school pupils during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Lowick Village Hall gets £1,820 to install an automated external defibrillator at the village hall.

Norham Public Hall has been granted £1,817 for upgrading the building’s audiovisual system.

NTC Touring Theatre Company is awarded £1,197 for a performance of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at Etal Village Hall.

Bowsden Village Hall has received £800 to upgrade its website.

Nils Stronach, senior programme advisor at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, said: “We’re delighted to have made over £30,000 of grants in the latest round of the EDF Energy Renewables Barmoor Windfarm Community Benefit Fund.

“It has been good to see the variety of activities supported from upgrading the play equipment and installing a defibrillator in Lowick, to crafting activities in Wooler and a digital project from November Club supporting Northumbrian First School pupils during the Covid-19 lockdown.”

The six turbine wind farm, on farmland between Ford and Lowick, has been operational since 2015.

The community benefit fund will make £60,000 available each year, index linked over the lifetime of the wind farm to support local community projects, events and organisations.

Projects can apply for a grant of between £500 and £10,000, with applications of up £20,000 awarded in exceptional circumstances.

For details visit https://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/apply/

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