Beatrice Partnership Fund bows out with a final round of funding worth more than £646k
27 Jul 2021
Joanne Murray hits the beach with help from Jenny Shearer from the Dornoch Beach Wheelchairs. The purchase of an electric all-terrain wheelchair means users will be in control of their seaside visit.
The Beatrice Partnership Fund has announced its final round of community funding awards.
The £3m Fund, set up by Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm owners, has benefited groups and organisations on the east coast of Caithness and Sutherland as well as the coastal communities of Moray since it started in 2017.
Over the last four years, the Fund has supported projects in northern Scotland that create opportunities for skills and employment; empower communities to be more resilient through long term social, environmental or economic improvements; or encourage meaningful regeneration to improve local infrastructure, landscape or heritage.
The final round of funding saw just over £419.5k distributed to projects in the eligible Highland areas, with an additional £227k distributed to organisations in Moray coastal communities with projects focusing on a range of services including all-terrain wheelchairs and the restoration of a public hall.
"We were delighted to once again support some outstanding projects with this final set of awards from the Beatrice Partnership Fund and we know that they will make a real difference to communities along the east Highland and Moray coasts."
Fraser Grieve Chairman of the Beatrice Partnership Fund
"This final allocation from the £3million fund has supported nineteen initiatives, with investment in cultural, heritage, tourism and community facilities, along with support to groups and organisations that look to help those living and working in different communities to thrive.
"With these new awards we're confident that we will see people of all ages benefit, not just today, but for years to come."
Highland charity, Dornoch Beach Wheelchairs received more that £20,000 so that they could purchase an electric all-terrain wheelchair and have an electricity supply installed in the organisation’s beach shed to charge it.
Isla Fullerton–Smith from Dornoch Beach Wheelchairs said:
“Our charity’s slogan “Let’s get us all to the beach” says it all. We believe that everyone has the right to enjoy our beautiful beaches.
The Beatrice Partnership funding will allow the purchase of our first all-terrain electric wheelchair, which will give people the opportunity to enjoy the freedom of the beach without a carer.”
Tourism BID company for the Moray region, Visit Moray & Speyside received £45,000 from the fund to help its project to improve the provision of public toilet facilities across the area.
"Recent years have seen public conveniences in Moray closed through austerity and local government cuts, leaving communities without adequate provision.
Laurie Piper Chief Executive of Visit Moray & Speyside
Public toilets aren’t cool or sexy, but they are absolutely critical for both residents and visitors to Moray Speyside."
“The award from Beatrice will enable Visit Moray Speyside to roll-out a ‘toilets toolkit’ and actively support local communities who want to take forward initiatives to secure the long-term future of their local toilets.
“We are deeply grateful to the awarding panel for seeing our vision and the potential to make a difference.”
SSE Renewables manages the Fund on behalf of Beatrice Offshore Windfarm owners. The company’s Head of Community Investment, Morven Smith said:
“This year the fund received a total request value of £2.5m and almost double the number of applications we received in 2020, so the panel had some difficult decisions to make.
“However, the Partnership is pleased to have awarded money to some very deserving and life enriching causes including organisations which will support communities to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.”
The full list of July 2021 awards is as follows:
Highland awards:
Organisation Name | Project Description | Award (£) |
Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust | To resource the recently established resilience plan for the wider Kyle of Sutherland communities | £27,155.00 |
Dementia Friendly Communities | To support a 12-month post for a registered service manager | £22,466.00 |
Dornoch Beach Wheelchairs | To purchase an electric all-terrain wheelchair and have an electricity supply installed in the beach shed to charge it; the first all-terrain wheelchair in the Highlands | £20,859.96 |
Homestart East Highland | To contribute to the cost of a part-time Family Support Worker to cover perinatal mental health services across the East Sutherland and North, Easter Ross area | £40,000.00 |
Go Golspie | To support the refurbishment of the YCMA building in Golspie, and a contribution over two years towards the Project Officer post | £50,000.00 |
Go Golspie | To contribute towards the cost of a replacement breakwater off the coast of Golspie | £50,000.00 |
Gordonbush Project | To support a rural apprenticeship programme | £35,000.00 |
Dunbeath Preservation Trust | To employ a volunteer recruitment, support and development officer over a 2-year period | £20,008.51 |
Association of Northern Trails Scotland (or ANTS) | A two-year project to employ a Trail Development Officer to transform the John O’Groats trail and take it forwards to the next level of trail quality | £30,000.00 |
Creich Croick and Kincardine District Day Care Association | To fund a Community Transport Initiative to reduce isolation and increase community resilience and success, over a 3-year period | £26,090.42 |
Brora and District Action Group (or BADAG) | To deliver phase two of a “Vision for Brora” | £48,000.00 |
Clyne Heritage | To contribute towards the conversion of a derelict site into a major visitor attraction and inclusive community facility | £50,000.00 |
Total awarded: | £419,579.89 | |
Moray awards:
Organisation Name | Project Description | Award (£) |
Action for Children | To contribute the employment of a part-time team leader and employability practitioner to facilitate an employability service, and the team will establish an SQA approved centre in Buckie | £49,997.00 |
Burghead Hall | To deliver renovation works at Burghead community hall | £25,000.00 |
The Three Kings Cullen Association | To contribute to the cost of additional improvement works at the Community Hub in Cullen | £34,637.79 |
Forres Heritage Trust | Works to restore the Tolbooth clock and open the Clock Tower by installing safety barriers to provide access from the interior of the Tolbooth to the views outside, therefore providing a new visitor attraction | £11,301.60 |
Moray Golf Club | The installation of energy efficiency measures for their listed building clubhouse, including the installation of a solar panel, wi-fi heating controls, modern loft insulation and refitting LED lighting | £11,870.61 |
Forres Area Community Trust | To develop their outreach service to reach more people who are experiencing social isolation and loneliness | £49,193.00 |
Visit Moray and Speyside | Working in partnership with local communities and Moray Council, this two-year application aims to take an innovative approach to the provision of public toilet facilities across the area | £45,000.00 |
Total awarded: | £227,000.00 | |