Caithness groups among those to benefit from Beatrice boost of over half a million pounds
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Six community groups in Caithness are among those to benefit from a funding boost of more than half a million pounds from the Beatrice Partnership Fund for organisations in the Highlands and Moray.
Dunbeath and District Centre is receiving £50,000 covering two years to pay for a manager to deliver daycare services, while other local groups receiving grants are Caithness Community Connections, Dunnet Forestry Trust, Home-Start Caithness, Science 03 and Staxigoe Community Football Pitch Committee.
The fund – supported by Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm – is giving more than £400,000 to Highland community groups, including organisations from east coast communities in Sutherland and Easter Ross as well as Caithness, with over £164,000 being distributed to groups in Moray.
The Beatrice Partnership Fund was established in 2017 by offshore wind farm co-owners SSE Renewables, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Red Rock Power to support projects that create opportunities for skills and employment, empower communities to be more resilient through long-term social, environmental or economic improvements, or encourage meaningful regeneration to improve local infrastructure, landscape or heritage.
This year’s funding awards see support from Beatrice for “transformative” local projects in both regions as well as initiatives to help community resilience during the coronavirus outbreak.
The latest funding brings the total granted to non-profit-making community groups in the regions to over £2.3m since the Beatrice Partnership Fund was established. This is the fourth and penultimate round of the partnership fund, which is managed by the community investment team at SSE Renewables on behalf of the joint venture partnership.
Fraser Grieve, chairman of the Beatrice Partnership Fund panel, said: “This year more than most we’ve recognised the role that this fund can play in supporting communities and building resilience. Once more we’ve seen some outstanding projects that we believe will make a positive lasting difference and we recognise the challenge that many face in accessing the other funding they need.
“Each one of these projects is built on the passion and commitment of those wishing to make a positive difference for their area, and this funding is an important link between the investment put into Beatrice and the communities closest to it. I look forward to seeing the progress made and the difference delivered as people benefit from this funding power boost.”
Marianne Townsley, community investment manager at SSE Renewables, said: “As we continue to live with the coronavirus outbreak, it is hugely important that communities have access to funds to help them move forward in their next stages of development.
“We are very pleased to be making a difference to communities in the Highland and Moray areas and it is great to see the positive difference the funds will make.”
In Moray, £164,322 was distributed to six charitable and community groups operating in the region’s coastal communities and in the areas of Buckie, Keith, Lennox and Strathisla.
The 588MW, 84-turbine Beatrice offshore wind farm is located 13km from the Caithness coast in the outer Moray Firth and entered operation in June 2019. It was officially opened a month later by Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay.
As well as being Scotland's largest offshore wind farm, Beatrice is the fourth largest in the world and is capable of providing enough wind-powered electricity for up to 450,000 homes.
As part of its commitment to local and regional communities, a £3m Beatrice Partnership Fund was established to be awarded over a five-year period from 2017 to 2021 with funding split between £2m for communities in Highland and £1m for communities in Moray.
The Beatrice offshore wind farm is operated by SSE Renewables on behalf of its joint-venture partners Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Red Rock Power from its base at Wick harbour.
Caithness groups benefiting:
- Caithness Community Connections (£35,499) – funding towards the development of a base to support the Lybster community, enhancing current activities including a drop-in youth service and a project to support adults.
- Dunbeath and District Centre (£50,000) – two years of funding for a manager to deliver daycare services to further strengthen community resilience following a well-organised response to coronavirus.
- Dunnet Forestry Trust (£35,225) – three years’ funding for a part-time development officer to expand the existing volunteer capacity.
- Home-Start Caithness (£19,137) – funding for a peer support group for dads and classes to develop parenting skills
- Science 03 (£30,000) – Two years of funding towards the running costs of the Caithness International Science Festival in 2021 and 2022.
- Staxigoe Community Football Pitch Committee (£10,042) – funding towards a feasibility study examining the development of a green energy model for a pavilion.
