Groups receive wind farm grants
COMMUNITY groups in Arklow and North Wexford benefited from a €60,000 grant as part of the Raheenleagh Wind Farm Community Fund.
Raheenleagh Power DAC, a jointly-owned subsidiary of ESB and Coillte, has awarded funding of more than €60,000 to 12 Wicklow and Wexford-based community and voluntary organisations as part of the third round of its Raheenleagh Wind Farm Community Fund.
The awards were presented at Kilanerin Sports Hall and Mixed-Use Centre in County Wexford last week.
The Wicklow recipients were Arklow Sea Scouts, May Byrne Community House and Ballycoog District Development while Croghan Barrack Community Project, Wexford Walking Trails, Hollyfort Development Committee, Kilaneran-Ballyfad GAA Club, Croghan Athletics Club, Coolgreany National School Parents Association, Coolgreany Tidy Towns, Rathpierce Group and Ballythomas National School from Wexford also receive grants.
The funding is a part of the recently launched Raheenleagh Wind Farm Community Fund which aims to provide financial support to local groups, helping them to deliver beneficial projects and initiatives which fall within one or more of under the broad themes of Education and Skills, Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Environment and Habitat Conservation, Energy Efficiency and Sustainability, Culture and Heritage, Recreation, Sport and Social Inclusion and Tourism.
Anne Walsh, Community Engagement Manager at Coillte, said the the reaction from the community was very positive.
‘ The high quality and volume of applications year-on-year from the community is tremendous and we are delighted to be contributing through the community benefit fund into the area where we operate in. The community groups that we have met here are so motivated and inspiring which makes this effort all the more rewarding. We hope to see even more groups applying in the next round in 2019.’
The community fund will be made available every year for the operational lifetime of the wind farm (i.e. 20+ years), and we welcome all applications from interested organisations. For further information on the community fund and to apply for funding, please visit: http://www.windfarmcommunityfunds.ie/