£20,000 is now available for community projects to benefit people living in Wadebridge, St Kew, St Mabyn and Egloshayle parishes.

The money comes from the Middle Treworder Solar Farm under a “Section 106” agreement made when it was given permission to go ahead, and is available as grants to charitable projects and purposes with a focus on grass roots community and voluntary groups in the area around the solar farm.

This is the second year of the fund, which last year gave away £10,000 to groups including Wadebridge Skateboard and BMX Park, Wadebridge Swimming Club, and St.Kew Highway Football Club. This year there is no maximum size of grant which can be applied for. However, the committee is keen to spread the funding as widely as possible and encourages not-for-profit organisations to provide accurate and realistic project costings.

The fund is administered by WREN, the Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network, but all decisions about the awards are made by a fund committee made up of representatives from Wadebridge Town Council, the Parish Councils of St Kew, St Mabyn and Egloshayle, the landowner and WREN.

The fund committee’s priorities are for projects that will benefit children, young people and schools, or households in or at risk of fuel poverty, and also to low carbon initiatives and climate change mitigation or adaptation projects.

Organisations must apply by 31st August 2015 using forms available from WREN, and the fund committee’s decisions will be announced towards the end of September.

WREN director Tony Faragher said, “WREN is delighted to be able to help run this fund for the second year. The committee has made some small changes to the eligibility criteria this year by including schools, since all the local schools are not-for-profit Academies.”

Organisations can obtain application forms and further details of eligibility by calling in at the Energy Shop, The Platt, Wadebridge, or by email to communityfunds@wren.uk.com, or by clicking here to download.

1st July 2015