Caption: (l to r) Jane Masters, Business Development Worker for Healthy Valleys; Màiri McAllan MSP for Clydesdale & Cab Sec for Transport, Net Zero & Just Transition; Stuart Hood, Director of Onshore Asset, SSER
More than £1m has been invested in projects across South Lanarkshire through the SSE Renewables and Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Ltd, Sustainable Development Fund.
Clyde Wind Farm Ltd is a partnership between SSE Renewables (50.1%), Greencoat UK Wind Holdco Limited (28.2%) and GLIL Corporate Holdings Ltd (21.7%).
A total of 13 projects have been successful in this round, with a variety of projects looking to support and invigorate their communities. These include a project to enhance the STEM attainment in the region and promote engineering; support to local families through the cost-of-living crisis and beyond; empowering communities to identify approaches towards achieving net zero in their area and the upgrade of a variety of sports facilities which will allow them to save energy and money.
A number of projects promoting sustainable community transport have also been funded including Healthy Valleys, an award-winning, community-led health improvement organisation. Established in 2003, they are the key Community Anchor Organisation in rural Clydesdale. Their vision is to reduce health inequalities in rural South Lanarkshire and enable people to live healthier and happier lives.
Healthy Valleys received £136,220 to help deliver renewable energy for their premises and enhance their ‘Gear Up’ active travel project through the acquisition of an electric van and bike storage facilities. Gear Up is a social enterprise empowering communities through cycling, walking, and wheeling.
During a recent visit to Healthy Valleys new premises in Caldwellside Industrial Estate, Lanark. Màiri McAllan MSP for Clydesdale and Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition, said:
“It's very pleasing for me as MSP for Clydesdale, that local communities are benefiting from those who are building and operating green energy assets in the area. It was fascinating to see first-hand the impact funding has had on Healthy Valleys, a community-led organisation, which has enabled them to conduct the incredible work that they are doing with bikes in the community.”
"Healthy Valleys are delighted to have been awarded funding from the SSE Sustainable Development Fund. The award will support the growth of our ‘Gear Up’ social enterprise, which will in turn help to create greener, healthier, and more resilient communities.
Jane Masters Business Development Worker for Healthy Valleys
Our eVan will enable us to transport our bikes between communities, ensuring easier access to the service, and helping us transition towards Net Zero at the same time."
"It is vitally important that we help the rural communities where our wind farms are located and to be able to celebrate reaching this £1m milestone with an organisation that has benefitted from the funding is great.
Stuart Hood Chairman of the Clyde Windfarm (Scotland) Ltd Board and Director of Onshore Asset Management at SSE Renewables
It is evident that the money from our funds helps communities support themselves, it enables organisations like Healthy Valleys build capacity and it empowers them so that they can take the initiative to invest in their own futures."
Other successful SDF projects include the Dollywood Foundation who will provide free books to children under five in South Lanarkshire’s ex-coal mining towns and villages through the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The Lanark Development Trust have also been awarded £42,012 to promote sustainable visitor activities between Lanark, New Lanark and Falls of Clyde.
The Sustainable Development Fund is in addition to SSE Renewables and Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Ltd.’s local community funds and supports strategic projects in regions where SSE Renewables operates. The fund brings the benefits of SSE Renewables’ energy developments to a wider area and is directed at projects that can achieve significant impacts in local communities.