The latest round of funding awards sees Walney Extension Community Fund reach a new milestone as the total funding awarded passes the £4million mark. Thirteen organisations have been awarded funding in the latest round and they will share over £302,000.
One group who are celebrating being awarded a grant are Escape2Make who will receive £9,500 to deliver a programme of ‘green’ workshops. The workshops will involve activities connected to a theme of sustainability, using the natural environment of North Lancashire, particularly Morecambe Bay.
Saul Argent, Chief Operating Officer at Escape2Make, said: “Escape2Make are over the moon to receive support from the Walney Extension Community Fund for our Green Festival 2024. This funding will support 200 11-18-year-olds from the Lancaster and Morecambe region take part in free, creative activities related to sustainability and the environment. It will support young people to learn important transferrable skills, grow in confidence and make new friends. The activities will result in a Green Festival event at Morecambe's West End Gardens on 24th August 2024, open to the wider community, where the work and learning undertaken by participants will be shared and celebrated.”
Also set to receive a grant through the Fund in 2024 are Ulverston Inshore Rescue. Patricia Prosser, Company Secretary of Ulverston Inshore Rescue, said: “Ulverston Inshore Rescue are delighted to receive a grant of £10,000 towards our new rescue hovercraft from the Walney Extension Community Fund. Morecambe Bay is very dangerous with fast moving tides, gullies and quicksand. A rescue vehicle that can go over sand, grass and water is the answer.”
The full list of organisations awarded grants from the latest round of funding are as follows:
These groups join a growing list of almost 230 others who have been previously supported through the Fund.
Imran Nawaz, Senior Advisor & Community Benefit Fund Manager for Ørsted, said: “We are so proud to have reached this amazing milestone. In just under nine years, we’ve supported a huge range of projects and looking forward to supporting more. We’d love to hear from you before our next deadline of applications on 3rd July.”
The fund is made possible by Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind, which has constructed one of the world’s largest operational offshore wind farms, Walney Extension, off the Walney Island coast in Cumbria. Each year, approximately £600,000 will be made available for community projects for the expected 25-year lifetime of the wind farm.
The fund is being administered by national grant-making charity GrantScape and more details can be found at GrantScape’s website www.grantscape.org.uk or by calling 01908 247634. The next closing date for applications is 3 July 2024.