Thrive Renewables PLC offering grants to groups close to Haverigg site

As part of its national £30,000 Community Benefit Programme, which Thrive started in 2015, eligible buildings, such as village halls and community centres, can use the funding to cover energy saving measures including insulation, draught proofing, improved heating or lighting controls and LED lighting.

Communities can also access free expert advice on zero-cost solutions as part of the scheme.

Buildings must be located within a 30-mile radius of the four-turbine site in Haverigg, a short distance from the town of Millom on the southwest coast in Cumbria, which last year delivered 5,001 MWh in renewable electricity.

The Haverigg II project was the first wind farm that Thrive invested in, built in 1998.

Matthew Clayton, managing director at Thrive Renewables, said: “The types of buildings this programme covers – such as village halls – are fundamental to their communities. It’s really important to us that we support the people and groups that host our sites, allowing them to make improvements to important social hubs, many of which are cold, draughty and expensive to run.

“We believe that these funds can really make a difference not only to the energy efficiency and sustainability of the spaces, but in encouraging people to continue using them for years to come, so we urge anyone running a shared building close to our Haverigg site to check their eligibility and apply.”

Applications are administered by national energy charity, Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and open until September 19, 2021.

Applicants must complete a full energy survey of the shared building using guidance supplied by CSE, which will help identify potential improvements, including zero-cost measures, and calculate carbon and cost savings for different options.

More information can be found at www.thriverenewables.co.uk/our-mission/community-benefit/