Berry Burn wind farm generates another £82,084.08 for community projects in Moray and the Highlands
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NEARLY £55,000 generated by natural energy has been awarded to local projects.
In its 28th round of awards, the Berry Burn Community Fund has approved grants totalling £82,084.08, helping to finance nine projects spread across the fund area in Moray and the Highlands.
The local awardees are: Naturally Useful - £20,000 for an outdoor classroom and all abilities path access; Dallas Miniature Rifle Club - £15,720 for new electronic targets; Findhorn Village Conservation Company - £10,000 to replace beach steps; Pride in Moray - £5,941.08 for staging, sound and light for annual Pride event on September 2 in Grant Park; and Findhorn Village Heritage - £3,500 for the restoration of a disability access floor in Findhorn Icehouse.
Chairwoman of the Berry Burn Community Fund, Dr. Jana Hutt, said: “This is our eighth year of operation and the fund is still receiving many good applications. We congratulate all the successful applicants.”
The other successful applicants were: Roseisle Hall - £10,923 to create an accessible terrace on the south facing elevation of the hall and upgrade the footpath from car park to hall; Moray School Bank - £10,000 to provide school uniforms for children living in poverty in the fund area; 1st Grantown on Spey Guides - £4,000 for transport and tickets to attend Girlguiding UK’s Wellies and Wristbands Festival 2023; and Fraser Tulloch - £2,000 towards travel costs to enable his son to play for Aberdeen Football Club’s elite under-10 team.
The fund receives an index-linked annual budget of £234,844 from international renewables company Statkraft, whose 29-turbine Berry Burn wind farm lies between Forres and Grantown-on-Spey. It is overseen by 11 volunteer members, living within the operational boundary which takes in the community council areas of Forres, East Nairnshire, Grantown-on-Spey, Cromdale and Advie, Speyside, Heldon, Findhorn and Kinloss, Finderne and Dyke Landward. This annual budget is spread over three awards rounds held during the year. The date of the next Berry Burn community Fund awards meeting is October 23, with the closing date for applications September 18. For more information, visit at www.berryburncommunityfund.co.uk
The funding team has recently welcomed three new members, replacing three who helped set up the fund in 2014, who retired after nine years of service as per the constitution. New fund administrator, Sandra Mitchell, replaces Alison Clark, retiring after six years.
