Launched earlier this year, the Fund has £700,000 per year available to support local groups and organisations in the North Norfolk and East Anglia region. The Fund is split into three pots: the main Community Fund of £500,000 (awarded through two funding rounds each year), an annual Skills Fund of £100,000, and an annual Legacy Fund of £100,000 which will go to one capital green project per year, to encourage long term positive influence in the region.
One of the successful groups is Cromer Cares, who have been awarded £10,000 to provide beds for children who currently do not have one.
Julie Chance, Trustee/Treasurer/Co-Ordinator at Cromer Cares, said: “Cromer Cares are delighted that this grant has been approved and this will provide beds for children who are sleeping on the floor still in this day and age. This means the children will be able to get a good night’s sleep and be ready to learn at school the next day. It is unbelievable that children are still sleeping on the floor, and we wish to do everything we can to try and address this problem.”
Also celebrating is Marine & Wildlife Rescue, who will receive £2,180, towards their ‘Seal Pup Coastal Welfare Monitoring’ project.
Dan Goldsmith, Chairman of Marine & Wildlife Rescue, said: “We are extremely grateful and incredibly pleased to receive the grant to enable us to assist with vital winter checks for grey seal pups along the coast in Norfolk.”
The full list of organisations awarded grants in the first Community Fund round are as follows:
Monies for the Fund are being made available as part of Ørsted’s project to create the world’s single largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 3, which will be located in the North Sea, approximately 121 km off the Norfolk coast and 160 km off the Yorkshire coast. The wind farm will be capable of generating 2.9 GW of green electricity, enough to meet the average daily needs of 3.3 million homes. The Hornsea 3 Community Fund will award a total of £7 million over a targeted ten-year period.
Imran Nawaz, Senior Advisor & Community Benefit Fund Manager at Ørsted, said: ”We’re very proud to see our first set of worthy applicants be successful, and look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition. Remember our next closing date is the 27th November, we’d love to hear from you.”
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 27 November 2024.