Staying Centred - Practical Support for Key Community Facilities
The Strathpeffer Community Development Trust received a grant of £2,225 from the EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm Community Fund to help their community centre continue running.
The fund was established in 2016 and supports not-for-profit groups providing charitable activities that benefit people living in the community council area of Strathpeffer. Funding continues to support a wide range of activities, contributing to large capital works, as well as providing crucial support for equipment and other services for local groups to thrive.
The Strathpeffer Community Development Trust owns and operates the Strathpeffer Community Centre, which hosts a range of regular classes and activities for all ages and also provides a venue for larger events such as the science festival and the annual Christmas Fair. The Trust estimates that they reach over 1,500 people each year.
The community centre has free wi-fi and use for a computer for job searching. There is a Sharing Larder providing free donated food at the Centre, and the Trust has also recently taken on running a community shop, in premises at the old railway station.
In November 2023, the Strathpeffer Community Development Trust received a grant of £2,225 for a range of essential and practical items necessary for the safe and viable ongoing running of the centre. This included a music licence for events, an additional computer monitor for centre users, defibrillator pads and PAT testing equipment, to ensure the safety of small items of electrical equipment.
The grant also paid for the centre manager to complete PAT testing training, which means that this work will now be done in-house, reducing future running costs for this essential activity.
The defibrillator pads have already been used. Volunteer director Miranda said:
The defibrillator pads were essential for our community and, unfortunately, can only be used once each time. The police used the machine only a week after we installed it on the outside of the building and were able to follow the instructions until the ambulance could arrive. There have been several members of the community who have commented how grateful they are that this provision is available as we are in a rural location and it is a considerable distance to the nearest A&E.
The community centre is a vital community resource, and this project highlights some of the practical and ongoing issues which a facility like this needs to address to remain viable.
Access to the local wind farm funds allows the community centre to fund a range of essential items which might be difficult to fund from other sources, but which are key to the sustainability of the centre.
The Strathpeffer Community Development Trust is proactive in developing new activities and providing community support, and has previously received grants to support the local refugee community, to set up a community shop and most recently to update the community action plan.
The grant funding has been very helpful and has enabled us to meet the regulations and requirements for the Community Centre to remain open as a vital resource for the community.
Read more about the EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm Community Fund for Strathpeffer.