Communities around the Bessy Bell, Bin Mountain, and Tappaghan Wind Farms in Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh are being invited by SSE Airitricity to apply for over £70,000 in community funding which is now available.
The £70,000 funding announced for 2014 brings to over £430,000 the total amount of community fund investment which has been paid from the wind farms to groups and organisations in Fermanagh and Tyrone since 2006 when the SSE Airtricity Community Fund first opened.
Community groups around Bessy Bell, Bin Mountain, and Tappaghan Wind Farms are being invited to submit projects which promote energy efficiency or which will drive community-centred environmental and social sustainability interest.
Whether groups want to put in double glazing for their local school, or add solar panels to their community hall the team behind the SSE Airtricity Community Fund want to hear from you.
Anne Reynolds, SSE Airtricity Community Development Officer, commented:
“I’m delighted that we’re announcing a fund for 2014 worth over £70,000 for the communities around the Bessy Bell, Bin Mountain, and Tappaghan Wind Farms. This funding will go to support community projects promoting energy efficiency and sustainability. Over the past few years we have supported some great projects, and we are looking forward to supporting more this year.”
In 2013 one group supported by the fund was Two Castles Boxing Club. Sean Corry, Development Manager at the club, said at the time: “The Two Castles Boxing Club has benefitted greatly from support from the SSE Airtricity Community Fund. The £15,000 we received will go towards installing new energy efficient lighting throughout the sports hall, as well a state-of-the-art heating panel system, helping us to reduce the current high energy costs of the sports hall.”
In addition to disbursing funds from the SSE-owned and operated Bessy Bell Wind Farm, SSE Airtricity is managing the community funds of Bin Mountain and Tappaghan Wind Farms on behalf of Greencoat Capital, a renewable energy and energy efficiency investment firm in which SSE is a founding investor. Community funds for these wind farms follow the same application process alongside SSE’s Community Fund for the Bessy Bell Wind Farm.
To find out more or to apply for this year’s Bessy Bell, Bin Mountain, and Tappaghan Community Funds click here, or contact [email protected] . Applications close on August 29.