THE Marshes Community Benefit Fund – created by the Frodsham Windfarm partners in 2016 to distribute money from the windfarm’s profits – has now awarded more than £1 million to local community organisations in the Frodsham/Helsby area
At their most recent meeting, the panel of volunteers who manage the fund, awarded £111,934 to 12 community projects – bringing the total distributed since 2016 to £1,093,887.
The original aim was to award £3 million over 25 years, but as the fund is linked to inflation, the amount available to the panel to award has increased considerably.
Over the last eight years, the fund has awarded 133 grants and helped a huge number of groups across a wide section of society.
These included:
• £45,000 towards a 3G football pitch
• £39,455 to the Green Gates Community project
• £56,305 to create an outdoor multi use games area at a local school
• £22,356 for building work to develop a local a Youth Centre
• £15,000 to fund a lift replacement in an Arts Centre
• £10,000 to buy a minibus for a local scout group
• £4,500 to a gardeners association
• £1,000 to a knitting club providing winter clothing for vulnerable people
• £1,000 to a group providing transport to doctors appointments for the elderly and vulnerable
In addition, the fund has supported various Christmas festivals, Literary festivals, The Coronation celebration, multiple sports clubs and dementia groups.
Additionally, The MCBF have funded the purchase of computers for libraries, multiple defibrillators and significant amounts of sports equipment.
Panel chair Andrew Jones, said: “Passing the £1,000,000 milestone is a significant event for the Marshes Community Benefit Fund. The panel were proud to award £111,934 during the current funding cycle and we were delighted with the wide variety of groups who we were able to support.
“There is still over £2,000,000 still available for us to award to local community groups over the coming years. The panel are keen to reach as many people as possible and I would encourage all groups of volunteers, sports clubs, Arts providers, community event organisers etc.. to visit our website and look at the funding available to them.
I would like to thank all of the panel members, past and present, who have given up their free time to join the panel. This is a milestone that each and everyone of them should be proud of. A special mention must go to Mike Garvey and Will Cook who have been on the panel from the very start.
“The next round of funding closes on February 28 and full details are available on our website. We also have a number of vacancies on the panel, if anyone would like to join the panel then please visit this page for more details.”
The Fund receives an annual grant from Frodsham Windfarm Ltd of up to £120,000. This annual payment will be provided every year the wind farm operates and is expected to amount to some £3 million. The Marshes Community Benefit Fund (MCBF) Panel will control the administration of the MCBF and will consider applications from groups and organisations for awards of between £250 and £60,000 from the MCBF in each of the two application rounds to be held each year.
Each MCBF Panel Member was selected on the basis of having significant local ties, knowledge of the area and professional skills. An independent organisation vetted the Panel Members and praised its composition. Each Panel Member is contributing their time and skills for free.
Pictured: The volunteer panel (left to right) Back: Andrew Jones, Amelia Esplay, Nifindi Liyange, Laura Watson, Will Cook. Front: Laura Baynham-Hughes, Sheila Shaw, Gill Hesketh