Seven community projects in East Berwickshire share £26,800 funding windfall
The Drone Hill & NnG East Berwickshire Fund has awarded over £26,800 to seven local projects in its latest round of grant-making, bringing the total awarded since the fund launched earlier this year to more than £50,000.
The Fund combines community benefit monies provided by Greencoat UK Wind - the owners of the Drone Hill Wind Farm in East Berwickshire - and Neart Na Gaoithe (NnG), a joint venture between EDF power solutions and ESB, which owns the NnG Wind Farm located in the Firth of Forth estuary.
The Fund provides grants to charitable groups and organisations whose work benefits seven local communities in East Berwickshire. Decisions on funding awards are made by a local panel who live and volunteer in their communities, with awards being made to projects that best fit with local community priorities.
• £5,000 to Cockburnspath Bowling Club towards installation of an automatic irrigation system for the club's bowling green, to maintain the playing surface.
• £5,000 to Duns Rugby Football Club for its Youth Development programme, to deliver rugby coaching alongside appropriate equipment and transport for its inclusive programmes to schools and communities across East Berwickshire.
• £5,000 to Coldingham Primary School PFA to support with funding a polytunnel and resources to create a year-round outdoor learning and growing space for pupils.
• £2,300 to Seashells Day Care Nursery Committee towards the purchase of durable, all-weather clothing, enabling up to 50 children aged 18 months to five years to take part in daily outdoor learning throughout the year.
• £2,750 to St Abbs Community Council to contribute to the cost of a warm hub with meals on winter Fridays from January to March at the Ebba Centre, supporting social interaction and addressing isolation in the St Abbs and Coldingham communities.
• £1,880 to ParentSpace to deliver a six-week parenting support course in the Coldingham area, together with follow-up 1:1 online sessions, helping local parents build confidence, reduce isolation, and strengthen relationships.
“We're delighted to receive this support from the Drone Hill & NnG Fund. Becoming a parent can be one of the most rewarding times in life, but it can also be one of the most isolating, and our six-week course exists to make sure no parent in the Coldingham area has to navigate the journey alone. This funding means we can offer not just the group sessions but the follow-up one-to-one support that really helps things stick, giving local parents the confidence and connection they need long after the course ends.”
Finally, the Viking Project will use an award of £4,820 to fund materials, tools, training costs, and learning resources, to deliver practical skills, maritime heritage craft and personal development at Eyemouth High School.
“This funding makes a real difference to the young people at Eyemouth High School. Being able to provide proper tools, materials and expert trainers means pupils get genuine hands-on experience in traditional maritime heritage skills, not just learning about our local seafaring history, but actually working with their hands to understand it. These are skills that build confidence, patience and pride, and we're really grateful to the Fund for recognising the value of heritage craft alongside more traditional forms of learning.”
“These awards demonstrate the power of community benefit funds when they are tailored and shaped by local communities to create meaningful local impact. We are delighted to support a wide variety of initiatives across East Berwickshire, benefiting people of all ages and backgrounds. From enhancing opportunities for recreation and social connection to supporting families and tackling isolation, these projects will help strengthen and enrich local communities."
Read more about the fund here.