Wind farm cash blowing in now

Burnhead Moss Community Fund will provide £130,000 every year for the operating life of the wind farm – expected to be at least 20 years – to support charitable activity in the area.

And organisations and community groups in Avonbridge and Standburn; Limerigg; and Slamannan and Blackridge will soon be able to apply for the first round of grants.

The fund, provided by EDF Energy Renewables (EDF ER), owner and operator of the 26MW Burnhead Moss wind farm, includes an education and training fund, which will get 20 per cent of the overall annual sum.

And a sub fund for each area will receive £34,666 in this first year.

Foundation Scotland will administer the fund and an interim grant scheme will soon open, they say.

A spokesperson for Avonbridge and Standburn Community Council, which has been consulted on the set-up, said: “The wind-farm fund offers fantastic long-term opportunities to cash-strapped community groups wanting to make a difference for people throughout our area.

“We are also delighted to have some of this money earmarked for local youngsters going into further education and training into work.

Avonbridge and Standburn Community Council and Limerigg Community Council have been helping to shape the overall scheme so far but they want people to look out for meetings and questionnaires to let everyone have a say.

Linda Duckworth, Asset Manager at EDF Energy Renewables said “EDF ER has been working closely with community representatives from the area since the start of the year. The fund is capable of making a real difference to the local area and we will continue to work closely with the community and Foundation Scotland to achieve this.”

For more information visit www.foundationscotland.org.uk//burnheadmoss/.