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Wind farm generates big cash boosts for three Strathspey projects





Cromdale Village Hall project leaders Cairine Scullion, Sandra Fowler, Mary Duncanson, Tony Connolly and Ian Findlay are delighted with the funding.
Cromdale Village Hall project leaders Cairine Scullion, Sandra Fowler, Mary Duncanson, Tony Connolly and Ian Findlay are delighted with the funding.

Three projects in the strath now have wind in their sails thanks to payouts totalling £33,000 from the cashpot of a renewable energy scheme.

Cromdale Hall Committee has received £20,000 for refurbishing the venue from the Berry Burn Community Fund, while Grantown Tennis Club has netted £7000 for clubhouse repairs.

Fiona’s Wholefoods and Refills has won £6000 for an expansion to its Grantown-based reduced packaging convenience shop at the YM Centre selling wholefoods and eco-friendly products.

Funds of £79,735 are being shared by 12 projects with most being in Moray.

Cromdale Hall secretary Cairine Scullion said the award was a great boost to plans to revitalise the facility.

The project has also received a £5000 grant from Baxters and another National Lottery bid is in the pipeline with an announcement expected this shortly.

Ms Scullion said: "This vision has been supported by the local community with the aim to make the hall a real hub of activity in the future and a resource for the area.

“Hopefully, activities such as indoor bowls, quiz nights, card games, fitness and children’s parties will return as well as affordable hiring for meeting and events."

Ms Scullion added: “Although the final costs will work out at £44,000 there is still fundraising to be done to bring the stage equipment up to standard. We would love to talk to anyone who can contribute.”

Grantown Tennis Club has also welcomed its share of the funds towards weather-proofing the traditional timber cladding walls and corrugated iron roofs of the club’s old established Victorian buildings.

In the latest round of funding awards the Berry Burn Community Fund has approved grants totalling £79,735.00 helping to finance 12 local projects.

Organisers said the value of applications received were for well over two times the funds available.

Some of the other latest big winners include:

* Rothes Playpark Refurbishment Group £25,000 to refurbish playpark;

* Moray School Bank £19,050.00 to purchase school uniforms for those in need in wind farm catchment area; and

* Logie Primary School Parent Council £2,000 for restoration of Logie Primary School bus shelter and telephone kiosk.

This latest round brings the total contribution to date from the Berry Burn Community Fund to £1,300,958 towards local causes in the area.

The community fund receives an index-linked annual budget of £190,000 from international renewables company Statkraft, whose 29-turbine Berry Burn wind farm lies between Forres and Grantown,

Dr Jana Hutt, chair of the Berry Burn Community Fund, said: “We were delighted to receive a large number of applications from all parts of the community fund area.

"I hope this means that confidence is starting to rise again and I congratulate all the successful applicants."

The closing date for the next round is 20th September 2021, with decisions due to be made at an awards meeting for round 23 of the pay-outs the following month.

All details of how to apply, application form, and contact details can be found here


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