Berry Burn Community Fund generates more than £50k for Forres area projects
Forres area projects have been awarded another £55k generated by natural energy.
Of £93,528 awarded to 14 initiatives during the 34th round of support from the Berry Burn wind farm Community Fund, 10 local groups have been granted a total of £55,439.46.
Local volunteer Alex Ross is chairman of the fund.
He said: “As in previous rounds, there were many good applications but the requested support far exceeded the funds available. It’s always regrettable that the fund cannot meet all the applications for projects that meet the criteria.”
Forres Golf Club was awarded £18,127 to upgrade the clubhouse and bring its energy rating from band G to C.
Greshop Industrial Estate-based charity, Inspiring Foundations, received £13,772.75 for automotive training.
Greshop-based recycling charity, ReBOOT, accepted £9000 for expanding its capacity to increase its impact.
Riff Raff Producing from Findhorn was granted £3178.83 for ‘Between the Mountains and the Sea’ - a performance from a winter wellbeing choir.
Children’s theatre group Frozen Charlotte Productions was awarded £3075 for ‘Creative Play with Frozen Charlotte’ in Forres.
Findhorn environmental charity Wild Things! received £2871 towards upgrading its IT to widen access.
Edinkillie Community Association accepted £2529.70 for securing a future for Edinkillie Hall.
Forres youth club The Gaff! was granted £2315.18 for a website and advertising signage.
And Forres-based life coach Karen Astill Coaching was awarded £570 for her ‘Altyre Women’s Circles’.
The rest went to: Edinvillie Community Hall Council - £11,905.96 for the hall’s toilet refurbishment and upgrade; Strathspey Farmers Club - £8000 for livestock gates for the Grantown Show; Speyside High School Fund - £3000 for Speyside High School football teams; Strathspey Camanachd - £3000 for Strathspey Camanachd Growth Initiative; and Grantown Grammar School £12,182.53 for a sports field infrastructure rejuvenation project.
Berry Burn Community Fund receives an index-linked annual budget of £255,501 from international renewables company, Statkraft, whose 29-turbine Berry Burn wind farm lies between Forres and Grantown-on-Spey.
The fund is overseen by 11 volunteers, living and working within its 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 budget is spread over three awards rounds-a-year. The next one is on October 20, with the closing date for applications on September 15.
For more information visit https://berryburncommunityfund.co.uk