OREANDA-NEWS. The Scottish Hydro Gordonbush Wind Farm Community Fund has awarded over GBP 312,000 to local projects in the Rogart, Golspie, Brora and Helmsdale areas since it opened in 2011.

The panel awarded more than GBP 188,000 to 26 community groups in the latest round of funding applications. Recent successful applications include GBP 4,000 to TYKES (The Young Karers East Sutherland) for a drop in worker, GBP 4,855 to Lairg and District Learning Centre to undertake outreach training in Rogart and Golspie, GBP 5,000 to Brora Social Amenities Group toward marquee hire costs for the Brora Carnival week and Helmsdale Heritage and Arts Society towards the marketing costs of the Translocation Festival 2013.

Avril Fraser, SSE’s Community Investment Advisor for Gordonbush wind farm said: “It’s fantastic that over GBP 312,000 from the Scottish Hydro Gordonbush wind farm has been spent on community projects to date. The panel received a huge number of applications in the last round and had some difficult decisions to make with the fund being fully spent at the end of its second year. We are delighted at the quality of applications and are pleased to be helping key community projects move forward. These funds can make a real difference where it’s needed the most.”

Myra Clark from TYKES said “ We're very grateful for the support that we have received from the Gordonbush wind farm fund. The work that TYKES does makes a big difference to young people with caring responsibilities in Sutherland who struggle on top of this to cope with school and everyday life. This funding will help towards supporting our continued work and it's good to see the benefit of these renewables projects in our area.”

Scottish Hydro will provide at least GBP 144,000 to the Gordonbush fund each year for another 23 years. The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that will develop the area’s assets (natural, environmental, physical, culture and heritage, economic and social) and will build the sustainability of the communities as vibrant places to live, work and visit. Details of the next funding round will be published soon and information on deadlines and how to apply will be available from June on http://www.sse.com/Community/CommunityFunds/Gordonbush