A RANGE of projects in Annandale and Eskdale have received a cash boost from two windfarm funds.
The Ewe Hill 16 fund has distributed over £107,677 to 11 groups locally.
Three community halls were granted funding to replace windows, with Kirkpatrick Fleming Hall receiving £8048; £19,621 for the Mansfield Hall in Rigg; and Eskdalemuir Ex-Servicemen’s Hall getting £6375.
Sport and recreation was the subject of five grants: £21,440 was awarded to improve drainage at Eaglesfield Recreational Ground; Lockerbie Ice Rink was granted £7484 for new skates, skating aids and lockers; Lockerbie Golf Club received £5310 for a new mower; £4785 went to Hoddom Fliers Club for racing pigeon timers; and £1970 was awarded to Canonbie Tennis Club to support their Wellbeing Wednesday project to encourage participation in the sport.
There was £17,786 for Canonbie and District Community Council to install electronic traffic speed signs in Canonbie, Chapelknowe and Rowanburn and other community grants were: £5401 to Ecclefechan Day Centre for replacement flooring and furniture; and £9457 for St Mungo’s Primary School Parent Council for a Health and Wellbeing Week with its partnership schools
Siobhan Jarvie, from windfarm operator ScottishPower Renewables, said: “We’re delighted to see the Ewe Hill Windfarm funds supporting improvements to community facilities that will reduce their running costs and increased opportunities for young and old alike to participate in sports, health and wellbeing initiatives within their community.
ScottishPower Renewables would like to thank the volunteer board of Dumfriesshire East Community Benefit Group (DECBG) for their work in distributing the funds we provide.”
Meanwhile, the Solwaybank Windfarm has awarded a total of £75,403 to five local projects.
The largest payout was £24,337 granted to Waterbeck Church to refurbish the roof and install solar panels on the former stables building, intended to be converted to a meeting room.
Kirkpatrick Fleming’s Village Hall was also awarded £8048 to replace windows in the hall.
A grant of £15,500 was made to the Langholm Initiative Tarras Valley Nature Reserve to carry out the initial phase of a project to renovate an empty house to bring it back into use as a super insulated home to be rented at affordable rates to a local family.
Then, £21,440 was agreed for Eaglesfield Recreation Association to install drainage on the community sports pitch/playing field; and The Xcel Youth Trust in Langholm got £6078 to create a woodland outdoor space and to contribute to a programme of outdoor activities for local young people.
DECBG were involved in the distribution of all grants and community officer Jamie Dent added: “The funding awards support a wide range of activities and facilities that will make a significant contribution to the quality of life across the communities in the east of Dumfriesshire.”
n The next deadline for applications to both funds is July 31. Any groups interested in applying for funds, or in need of help to develop projects, should contact [email protected] or on 07391 618359. Details of the application process, eligible communities and the types of projects wcan be found online at decbg.org.uk
