Fourteen organisations have been awarded grants as part of DONG Energy’s Walney Extension Community Fund. The groups will each receive a share of the just over GBP 250,000 windfall available under round two of the Fund, which launched last year.
First grants were awarded in November 2016 , when thirteen organisations got their respective share of the fund in round one.
Rachel Cary , Lead Stakeholder Relations Advisor at DONG Energy, said: “We are delighted to support another set of great community projects through our Walney Extension Community Benefit Fund.
“The expert steering panel, made up of local public and voluntary sector representatives, have chosen a fantastic range of projects that will help local people and groups from those struggling to find work or housing, those with Autism Spectrum Conditions, to victims of domestic abuse. It will provide funding to improve community facilities such as village halls and community centres and enable local charities to recruit and train additional staff.”
She added: “The funding will also help local hospices improve their facilities and provide patients with additional support and treatment. We look forward to seeing more applications from local community projects in the third round of the fund, which closes this July.”
The Fund is made possible by DONG Energy which is developing the Walney Extension offshore wind farm off the Walney Island coast in Cumbria. Each year, approximately GBP 600,000 is made available for community projects for the expected 25-year lifetime of the wind farm.