Appledore Recreation Ground, Lydd Methodist Church and Carm (Caring All together on Romney Marsh) are just a few of the latest beneficiaries of the Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm Community Investment Fund. The fund is provided by RWE Innogy UK, the company that built and operates Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm. So far this year, Kent and Sussex Community Foundations, which administer the fund, have awarded £47,919 from the fund to local causes, groups and charities that serve the community.
Carm is one of those groups and received £3,000. The charity supports older people in Romney Marsh and its surrounding rural areas who are socially isolated. Carm volunteers run meeting points that have become an integral part of the community. They provide older people with the opportunity to meet up, socialise and participate in planned activities.
Helen Mattock from Carm said: “The funding received from the Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm Fund will go directly towards the running costs of four of our eight meeting points. It will allow our weekly and monthly meetings to continue. Over 120 people rely on Carm’s social meetings which provide invaluable support and enhance the quality of life of the rural and sometimes isolating communities. Recently, our Lydd meeting point celebrated its 21st birthday and others aren’t far behind. This year we have ideas for new services and further developments, which funding like this can assist with.”
Katy Woodington, community investment manager for RWE Innogy UK, said: “It is fantastic to see so many worthwhile projects and organisations benefit from the latest round of funding. The fund has already invested over £460,879 into the local area since the wind farm started operating in 2008. Throughout the entire lifetime of the wind farm, it will invest over £1.2 million into local activities and projects in communities surrounding the site.We are currently inviting feedback from the local community on the fund and how it operates. If you have thoughts or feedback, we’d be keen to hear from you.”
The online survey is now live and runs until the end of March.
Photo: Helen Mattock