Orsted A/S : Walney Extension Community Fund Celebrates Five Years of Funding

The announcements are being made as the Fund itself is celebrating reaching its fifth anniversary year. Launched in 2016, Ørsted has supported 165 projects in the region through the main Walney Extension Community Fund and the dedicated Skills Fund.

Over the last five years, successful groups have shared a huge windfall of £2,924,904 and the Fund is on course to soar past the £3million milestone later this year.

The full list of organisations awarded grants from the tenth round of funding are as follows:

• Cumbria CVS, Building Better Communities - £48,351
• Allithwaite Playing Fields and Community Centre Association - £9,725
• DASH @ Dowdales, 4G Pitch - £50,000
• Drop Zone Youth Projects, Barrow - £18,720
• Barrow AFC Community Sports - £10,000
• The Growing Club CIC, Morecambe Bay - £33,420
• CancerCare North Lancashire & South Cumbria, New Support Centre for Morecambe - £25,000
• The Parish of Thornton-le-Fylde Christ Church, Meadows Community Centre Kitchen - £34,641
• Kent Estuary Youth Project, South Lakes - £15,500
• Hospice at Home West Cumbria, Home Nursing in Copeland - £15,683
• Walney Churches Scout Group - £1,800
• Sedgwick Cricket Club - £30,000
• Cycling Projects, Barrow Wheels for All - £14,800
• Every Life Matters, Suicide Safer Barrow - £15,548

Cath Corkill, Manager, Drop Zone Youth Projects, said: 'After a difficult year the need to strengthen partnerships across both statutory and third sector organisations is paramount to offer support to our children, young people and families. The funding from the Walney Extension Community Fund will enable us to focus on this as we move forward through the recovery period and we are extremely grateful for their continued support.'

Jane Binnion, Director and Founderof The Growing Club CIC, said: 'We were delighted, and hugely relieved, to have received notification of this award to fund our core delivery for a year. Things have been very difficult during the pandemic, as our workload has increased significantly and funding has come as small, short term grants. It is so good to be able to plan properly for the year.'

Imran Nawaz, Stakeholder Advisor & Community Benefit Fund Manager for Ørsted,said:'When we started the Walney Extension Community Fund five years ago, we wanted to help make a positive and lasting difference to the region. We're very proud to have been able to support 165 different community projects over that time, but the biggest thank you goes out to all the local people involved in bringing those projects to life. When we look at applications throughout each round of funding we are continuously impressed with the local effort and hard work that communities undertake to support each other. We look forward to seeing what the next five years brings!'

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 websitewww.grantscape.org.ukor by calling 01908 247634. The next closing date for applications is 23 June 2021.