Communities in Scotland’s Highlands and Moray have received half a million pounds in vital funding following the award of the latest round of the Beatrice Partnership Fund.
Supported by Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, around £400,000 is being distributed to community groups in Highland with around £165,000 distributed to groups in Moray.
The Beatrice Partnership Fund was established in 2017 by offshore wind farm co-owners SSE Renewables, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Red Rock Power Limited.
It aims to support projects which create opportunities for skills and employment; empower communities to be more resilient through long term social, environmental or economic improvements; or encourage meaningful regeneration to improve local infrastructure, landscape or heritage.
This year’s funding awards see support from Beatrice for transformative local projects in both regions as well as initiatives to help further develop community resilience in these regions during the current Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.
This latest award brings the total funding granted to non-profit-making community groups in Moray and Caithness to over £2.3m since the Beatrice Partnership Fund was first established.
This is the fourth, and penultimate round of the Partnership Fund which is managed by the community investment team at SSE Renewables on behalf of the joint venture partnership.
Chair of the Beatrice Partnership Fund Fraser Grieve said: “This year more than most we’ve recognised the role that this fund can play in supporting communities and building resilience.
“Once more we’ve seen some outstanding projects that we believe will make a positive lasting difference and we recognise the challenge that many face in accessing the other funding they need.
“Each one of these projects is built on the passion and commitment of those wishing to make a positive difference for their area and this funding is an important link between the investment put into Beatrice and the communities closest to it.
“I look forward to seeing the progress made and the difference delivered as people benefit from this funding power boost.”
SSE Renewables community investment manager Marianne Townsley added: “As we continue to live with the Coronavirus outbreak, it is hugely important that communities have access to funds to help them move forward in their next stages of development.
“We are very pleased to be making a difference to communities in both the Highland and Moray areas and it is great to see the positive difference the funds will make.”