Spirit of Lanarkshire Wind Energy Cooperative (SOLWEC) Community Support
SOLWEC Community Fund aims to support communities in the vicinity of West Browncastle and Nutberry wind farms to pursue projects which reduce greenhouse gas emissions or improve the environment and benefit the people who live in the immediate vicinity of the windfarms.
The SOLWEC Board allocate a proportion of profits every year towards a Community Fund. We have expanded this fund to include funding organisations to carry out energy audits for community buildings and feasibility studies particularly for ideas which link to the aims of the fund. Up to £100,000 is available for this fund, of which £50,000 will be targeted at energy audits for community buildings and feasibility studies particularly for ideas which link to the aims of the fund.
In addition to the above, we are currently operating a Warm Welcome support scheme which offers funding to assist with the cost of heating community-owned buildings which are offering a warm space to people during the cost of living crisis. Please contact us at info@spiritoflanarkshire.coop for further details if you think this may apply to your organisation.
For a copy of the community benefit criteria, please click here.
For a copy of the community fund application form, please click here.
For a word version of the community fund application form, please click here
The closing date for the next round of applications is 28th Feb 2023
Spirit of Lanarkshire
The Spirit of Lanarkshire Wind Energy Cooperative's Community Fund has helped a number of local organisations in recent years. Grants awarded included:
Clarkston Scouts - £6,936 to install LED lighting.
Climate Action Strathaven - £7,500 to publicise their community bus service.
Offgrid Communities, Clarkston - £2,750 for solar powered LED lighting.
Outlet Play Resource - £5,000 to run outdoor play and forest schools activities in Lesmahagow.
Strathaven Town Mill - £1,222 to install LED lighting.
Verve, Darvel - £2,400 to run wildlife gardening activities for adults with learning disabilities.
Lesmahagow Scouts- £750 towards the cost of outdoor activity training for leaders.
Lesmahagow Highland Games- £1500 towards running costs
Outlet Play Resource Summer Play Scheme - £5000 to run a summer outdoor play scheme in Coalburn, Lesmahagow, Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood.
Climate Action Strathaven - £1000 to run cycle repair workshops
Darvel Area Regeneration Team - £4000 to make environmental improvements along the Waterlip walkway
Coalburn Community Action Group - £3500 to run Coalplay, an outdoor play scheme.
SOLWEC also made a special award of £65,000 in Oct 2022 to be split between East Kilbride Food Bank, Loaves and Fishes Foodbank, Clydesdale Foodbank and East Ayrshire Foodbank to allow them to help people struggling with the cost of living crisis.
