Wind farm community benefit fund boosts 11 Keith groups
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ELEVEN community groups in the Keith area will benefit from more than £60,000 distributed in the latest payouts from a local wind farm community benefit fund.
As well as the usual available funding from the Hill of Towie Community Benefit Fund, an additional Covid-19 fund was set up to help local volunteers cope with extra challenges posed by the pandemic.
The funding round was well subscribed, with a strong focus on mental and physical health seen in the applications.
Keith-based REAP (Rural Environmental Action Project) administers the payouts from renewable energy firm RES.
Ann Davidson, REAP manager, said the community response in and around Keith throughout lockdown had been phenomenal, and now local groups and organisations were turning to the future.
One of Keith’s key organisations for young people, The Loft Youth Project, applied for funding to support cleaning and disinfection, as well as assistance with reconnecting with young people. REAP said the organisation was highly valued locally and was needed now more than ever.
Other groups successful in their applications included Drummuir and Botriphnie Community Trust, Keith Rollerbladers, BMX and Skateboarders (KeRBS), and Keith Royal British Legion. The groups will use their funding to improve facilities.
Ms Davidson said: "We designed the Covid grant funding scheme to be as simple and streamlined as possible.
"We’d been hearing from our contacts in the community that lots of essential organisations had suffered a drop in income, or needed funding to meet the challenges of being Covid-ready.
"We’re grateful to the funder, Hill of Towie Wind Farm, for offering this flexibility. Ten organisations applied to this stream and I’m pleased to say they were all funded."
RES supported the virtual panel meetings facilitated by REAP to discuss the applications.
Callum Whiteford, community relations manager at RES, said: "We’ve been delighted to offer flexibility this year to provide a locally tailored response to the pandemic.
"We wish all these groups every success for the coming year – we know how much they are appreciated locally."
Since the community benefit fund was established in 2012 when the wind farm was commissioned, it has awarded grants totalling more than £700,000 to local groups, charities and social enterprises.
The deadline for applications for the next round of funding is May 5, 2021. More information and application forms are available from the REAP website at www.reapscotland.org.uk or contact REAP at info@reapscotland.org.uk or on 01542 888 070.
