Volunteers at a coastal surveillance station on England’s north Norfolk coast are looking forward to a warmer winter following the installation of a wind turbine paid for by the Eon Energising Communities Fund to help power the heating.
The cabin, which is located above the beach at Cart Gap between Happisburgh and Sea Palling, is open every day throughout the year.
Happisburgh Coast Watch volunteers keep a close eye on users of the water, coastline and cliffs, and alert the coastguard and RNLI if they spot boats or people in trouble.
The fund covered the full £1000 cost of the turbine, which works alongside existing solar panels to provide back up during the winter months.
Happisburgh Coast Watch treasurer Mark Howson said: “As a charity, we’re totally dependent on donations and volunteers. All our fundraising used to be spent on gas bottles for the heating, which we’ve been able to do away with now we’ve got the turbine.
“Many of our volunteers are retirees, and some of them couldn’t help out over the winter as they found it too cold in the cabin.
“We’re now able to offer a warmer, more comfortable environment for all of our volunteers, and between the turbine and our solar panels can produce electricity for heating and to power the equipment we use to monitor shipping in the area.”
Eon corporate responsibility and community relations manager Suzanne Roe said: “It’s heartening to hear about Happisburgh Coast Watch, providing a vital service in north Norfolk just through the efforts of its volunteers and donated funds.
“They’d already identified the turbine model best suited to their needs when they approached us for support though our Energising Communities Fund, and we were delighted to be able to cover the full cost for them. I gather the volunteers are already feeling the benefits of the installed turbine.”
Eon’s Energising Communities Fund was launched in 2013, since when over 100 community groups and charities in England, Scotland and Wales have had a share of the more than £185,000, she added.