CRASTER MEMORIAL HALL RECEIVES FUNDING TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

A hall which serves as a vital hub to its local community in Northumberland has received funding to help provide a sustainable energy source to protect residents during a power crisis.

The Northern Powergrid Foundation, established by Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network that powers the lives of 8 million people in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is passionate about being able to support communities and creating resilient and thriving communities through access to funds.

Craster Memorial Hall received £14,275.52 from The Foundation to support the residents of Craster, Northumberland, with solar panels and batteries.

Jackie Reeves, Craster Community Trust Treasurer said “The project has enhanced the Memorial Hall’s resilience as a community hub, especially if we have a power cut. We now have a micro-grid to provide warmth, food and drink, social interaction and internet connection; particularly for those in need.

“The community has already benefitted from having a safe space with light and warmth for the local community to go to when we experienced a nine-hour disruption to power supplies in March - which impacted Craster and Dunstan.

“Thank you to The Northern Powergrid Foundation, and our other community partners, for the donation to make Craster Memorial Hall a vital hub for our local residents.”

The funding awarded is part of a batch of successful applications to The Northern Powergrid Foundation, which was set up to support and improve local community energy resilience. The scheme has, so far, awarded £560,000 and supported over 40 projects across Northumberland and County Durham worst hit by the winter storms of 2021-22. Nine of those projects are located in MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan’s constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed and have received a total funding of over £120,000 from The Foundation.

The funded communities are delivering unique and exciting projects that will have a lasting impact by enabling hubs to be self-sufficient in supporting their residents today, tomorrow and in the future. Projects include the establishment or the expansion of community hubs so that the likes of community halls and parish halls can play a vital role in keeping their community safe and warm during power interruptions with the introduction of solar panels, heat pumps and generators. 

Louise Lowes, Northern Powergrid Foundation Trustee said: “As a representative of The Northern Powergrid Foundation I’m delighted to support the Memorial Hall and provide funding to help keep customers connected in the event of a power disruption.

“I am pleased to see the project at Craster is complete and it was great to hear from the team at Craster to learn more about the positive impact the project was bringing, including a test run of their ‘warm hub’ during a recent power cut. It’s fantastic to see it is already delivering its desired benefits to the local community by being a place where residents can seek refuge at times of need. Long may it support the residents.”

The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, who has played a key role in supporting her community with its application and helped present the cheque to Craster Memorial Hall said: “It’s wonderful to see the Craster Community Trust’s commitment in providing a hub for residents come to fruition, with the support of the Northern Powergrid Foundation donation to the solar energy project for the Memorial Hall.

“The damage and distress caused by Storm Arwen has brought together amazing people and has also brought this fantastic facility to life. Congratulations to everyone for their hard work.”

More about The Northern Powergrid Foundation

The Northern Powergrid Foundation will officially launch soon, with grant applications from communities across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire accepted in due course. The Foundation’s mission, complementing Northern Powergrid’s ambition to be a force for good in the communities it serves, is to support communities most affected by changes in the economy, environment, and society because of the shifting energy landscape. This will be achieved by supporting projects focused on helping to tackle energy resilience during emergency events, vulnerability, fuel poverty, levelling the rural divide, innovation, social support, and community collaboration.

The Foundation has worked with Northern Powergrid’s community partners to identify the best ways to create a positive and enduring impact for those worst affected by Storm Arwen in 2021.

The Foundation is proud to have funded over 40 unique and exciting energy resilience projects so far for communities within Northumberland and County Durham (totalling £560,000). These projects have largely been for the creation of, or the expansion of, community hubs with energy resilience pieces of kit such as: generators, solar panels and heat pumps.

Nine projects in MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan’s constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed have received a total funding of over £120,000 from The Foundation.

How to apply for funding

The Foundation will be open for applications biannually and the first round for applications to all communities served by Northern Powergrid will open very soon with applicants invited to apply online. Community groups interested in finding out more about applying for funding up to £20,000 should visit www.northernpowergridfoundation.com to be informed when the Foundation is officially open to applications.

Craster Memorial Hall photo caption L-R: Louise Lowes, Northern Powergrid Foundation Trustee, Helen Chamberlain, Trustee of Craster Community Centre, Jackie Reeves, Trustee of Craster Community Centre, Margaret Brooks, Parish Councillor, Marion Gallon, Trustee of Craster Community Centre – pictured with Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP for Berwick-Upon-Tweed.