The first payments from a community fund created by the 860MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm off the east coast of England have been awarded to 12 projects.
A total of £115,000 has been shared among the 12 winners, including a First Responders charity, Swineshead bowls club and the 7th Boston Scout group.
The money comes from the £500,000 ‘Construction Fund’ which operates during the two years while the onshore electrical system is installed.
The fund officially opened in August 2018 and aims to support locally important projects.
It is part of the wider £1.5m Triton Knoll Community Fund.
Triton Knoll project director Julian Garnsey said: “I am so pleased to see such important local projects at the heart of this first round of funding awards.
“We always aimed to ensure the fund delivered maximum benefit to our closest neighbouring communities, and that’s exactly what this first round has done.
“A huge ‘congratulations’ to all those successful projects and we look forward to a second bumper round of applications in the next round.”
All applications are reviewed and determined by a panel of local people.
Sue Fortune from the Lincolnshire Community Foundation, which administers the fund, said she was encouraged by the response from local groups.
“The level of interest we received demonstrates that there is definitely a strong local need for this type and level of local grant support, especially where groups find it difficult to access appropriate and flexible support elsewhere,” she said.
“It’s been great to see such a range of really impactful projects coming forward during this first round and which can make a real difference right across our local communities.
“We’re already talking with other groups about the next round of funding, and we’d really like to encourage even more communities to think about how this flexible funding can be best used to support them.”
The next closing date for new applications is 1 May, with the panel meeting on 19 June.
Other winners in the first round include Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s, Brothertoft village hall, Anderby Rocks, Hogsthorpe Memorial Recreation & PFA, Great Hale Newsletter, Anderby and Swineshead village halls, Hogsthorpe Parish Council and Improving Donington’s Environment for All.