Community Benefit Fund

Download AGM Chairman’s Report (22nd October 2020) – PDF, 154KB

The fund is established to support local sustainable development and carbon saving projects that tackle climate change, promote energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty. The fund comes from the sale of electricity produced by Whalley Community Hydro which is a Community Benefit Society.
Applicants are invited to read the guidelines for deciding on priorities for carbon reduction community benefit projects and the recommendations for an Energy Efficiency Policy.
Initial enquiries can be made via the Contact page.

In its first five years the fund has distributed over £75,000 to around 13 carbon saving schemes.

Perhaps the best example of such projects are those currently up and running in three local primary schools at Whalley, Read and Simonstone. Each of them has had their lighting replaced with low energy fittings and have also been equipped with large, 12kW, solar roof panels to provide much of the power that each school uses. These schemes provide daily evidence to schoolchildren, staff and parents of the environmental benefits of renewable energy. The results are available in real time over the internet and can be viewed on a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Other projects funded have been:

Energy Heroes! – providing quality materials for teachers of primary school 10 year olds to achieve high standards for data handling and problem solving skills. These provide schools and their communities with a range of activities and resources that empower them to make good choices in relation to energy conservation and low carbon living. For 2017-18 five local schools are taking part: Whalley CofE Primary School, Waddington and W Bradford CofE Primary School and in Clitheroe Brookside Primary School, St James CofE Primary School and St Michael and St John’s RC Primary School.

Whalley Old Grammar School Community Centre – loft insulation and blinds as part of their programme to improve the energy efficiency and reduce running costs of this historic 1725 building. The Centre provides facilities for over 90 groups including pre-school children, language learning, yoga and Scrabble.

Whalley Sports and Community Park – energy efficient LED floodlights for their Multi Use Games Area. WSCP have a programme to improve facilites for junior football, cricket, bowls, tennis and community groups.

Homewise – assisting people struggling to stay warm. Homewise is a home improvement service enabling people to stay safe, secure and independent in their homes.