UK: East Yorkshire communities boosted by £100,000 funding from E.ON

The fund set up to support sustainable community projects in parishes which border the wind farm between Easington and Preston, will this year support 20 projects ranging from improvements to facilities at a football club to increasing the number of rural internet connections in the area.

As part of the funding process, an independent judging panel chaired by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Investment and Inequalities, Cllr Jane Evison, was asked to score each application, against a set of criteria: impact on community, sustainability, environmental benefit, value for money and need.

Sandra Stephens, Renewables Stakeholder Manager at E.ON, said: “Providing a helping hand to organisations that are looking to deliver projects that make a real difference to local people is the core principle of the Community Support Fund and something we’re incredibly proud of.

”We were amazed by the diversity and creativity of the applications received and our panel of judges found the task of selecting the projects to support extremely difficult. One application which particularly inspired us was from Ottringham Village Hall Management Committee, and we very much look forward to seeing how Ottringham Village Hall and all of the selected projects come together over the coming weeks and months.”

Ottringham Village Hall, a building used regularly by the local community, has received £7,000 to fund the internal refurbishment of the hall and to provide secure cycle storage in order to facilitate greater use of the facility.  Tim Haggitt, Vice-Chairman of Ottringham Village Hall Management Committee, said: “A modern facility for use by the whole community will benefit all and we are absolutely delighted to have received this funding from E.ON to help us make the necessary improvements to the village hall.”

“When the improvements are complete, young people will be able to cycle to catch their school bus and leave their bike in a safe, secure area. We are confident the changes will lead to an increase in bookings and usage of the hall and, subsequently, more income to ensure Ottringham residents and those in neighbouring parishes have access to a facility they can be proud of.” Work is due to start at the hall this month and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Easington Parish was awarded funding across a number of different initiatives. Easington United Association Football Club was another recipient of funding from E.ON, securing £6,000 for improvements to its existing facilities, including the erection of floodlights, changing room repairs and drainage installation. According to the club, the improvements will provide a more sustainable and safe venue to increase participation and community engagement.

Doug Clubley, chairman of Easington United Association Football Club, said: “On behalf of the entire club, I would like to say a huge thank you to E.ON for its support without which we would have struggled to fund these much needed improvements. We are a club with the local community at heart and these changes will benefit everyone.”

Other beneficiaries of E.ON’s Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm Community Support Fund 2015:

•  Association for the Conservation of Sunk Island Church
• Hedfest (Hedon Festival)
• Hedon Museum Society
• Keyingham Parish Institute
• Ottringham Village Institute
• Paull Parish Council
• Paull Village Hall Committee
• Ryehill Village Institution
• Spurn Observatory Trust Ltd.
• The HUBB
• The Evergreens
• Thorngumbald Preschool
• Welwick & Weeton In Bloom Neighbourhood Watch
• Welwick Parish Council

The Community Support fund is part of E.ON’s Humber Gateway £2m Benefit Fund launched in February to help make a positive difference to the local community.