A South Lanarkshire social club in Scotland at the heart of a former mining community is being refurbished after receiving a grant of more than £65,000 from the 150MW Kype Muir wind farm fund.
Founded in 1925, Coalburn Miners’ Welfare Charitable Society, which runs the town’s social club, has been playing an important role in providing resources and leadership to the local community for more than 90 years.
The grant was awarded from the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) administered by South Lanarkshire Council which receives money from wind farms including the nearby Banks Renewables’ wind farm.
The grant has enabled the group to transform their social club – renovating its upstairs and downstairs halls, two toilets, games room and lounge.
The REF grant contributed part of the total £131,000 of funding received by Coalburn Miners’ Welfare from a variety of other funders.
Councillor George Greenshields, project manager at Coalburn Miners Welfare and independent councillor for Clydesdale South on South Lanarkshire Council said: “The social club was in need of a serious upgrade so we were over the moon to have received such a vital source of funding.
“As a result of the funding, we’ve now been able to improve the building massively so we can continue to make so many events and activities accessible to all around South Lanarkshire.
“The building really has become essential to the local community. The social club is a valuable space where plenty of good memories have been made.”
Banks Renewables sustainability and external affairs manager Robin Winstanley said: “There are so many valuable benefits that the Coalburn Miners’ Welfare brings to the local community.
“To be able to contribute to this renovation was a real pleasure. It’s brilliant to see the impact a wind farm can have on the wider community, especially with a community asset like this which means so much to the people of Coalburn.”