Cotton Farm Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund
The Cotton Farm Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund supports charitable projects that demonstrably benefit a material proportion of the local community by supporting their use and enjoyment of the local area and/or contributing to a positive community spirit.
Applications for funding are invited by constituted groups (not individuals) delivering charitable projects for residents living in the residential areas up to 3km from the wind farm in the parishes of Offord D'Arcy, Graveley, Toseland, Great Paxton and Yelling.
Organisations must have three or more independent people on their management committee, an up to date Equal Opportunity Policy, a bank account with two or more independent signatures and a Safeguarding Policy if working with either children and/or vulnerable adults. If groups need help with the preparation of any of these documents or their constitution, please contact CCF who will put you in touch with the local Council for Voluntary Service.
If the group is a registered charity its submissions to the Charity Commission must be up-to-date.
Grants will be offered normally in the range of £250 to £5,000.
Groups offered a grant will be required to provide detailed information on how the funding was spent and to provide monitoring information to include a case study, pictures and a summary of the impact of the grant funding.
Grants will not be made retrospectively so no commitment for expenditure should be made before the date of the grant offer letter. Funding will not be provided to support projects promoting political or religious views, for sponsored events or to cover expenditure considered to be a statutory responsibility. Grants will not normally be given to projects primarily concerned with animal welfare, medical research and equipment, or overseas travel.
Funding decisions are made once a year at a panel meeting.
Recent Grants
Below are some of the grants that have been awarded from the Cotton Farm Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund:
Offord Cluny & Offord Darcy Parish Council were awarded £375 to provide a disabled entrance gate to the recently acquired recreation field.
Yelling Cricket Club were awarded £746 for a more efficient and hygienic portaloo for club members and visitors.
Graveley Parish Council were awarded £900 to assist village volunteers in various projects throughout the village including assisting clearance of wood / branches from pond maintenance work to be carried out, clearance of church yard (walk way for all) repairs to bandtsand / bus shelters.
Holy Trinity Minster Church Great Paxton were awarded £1000 for essential roof repairs, mostly to lead work and repointing, along with an overhaul of rainwater goods.
Great Paxton Under Fives Association were awarded £1500 safety, all weather matting for outdoor play area.
Graveley Parish Council were awarded £1,500 to maintain and improve village ponds.
1st Great Paxton and the Offords Scout Group were awarded £1500 to buy a large marquee, some new tents and cooking equipment - such as camping stoves and general cooking pots and pans.
Yelling Village Hall were awarded £1527 to improve safety for users of the village hall in two ways and also increase storage capacity.
Yelling Village Hall Social Club were awarded £1527 to update the decor in the social area of the Village Hall.
The Offords Recreation Hut were awarded £1700 to provide a shallow and compliant access ramp to the main entrance, drop the kerb from car park and create 2 Disabled spaces in car park.
Applepips Pre-School & Out of School Club were awarded £1725 to enhance and develop our outdoor learning environment.
Huntingdonshire Association For Community Transport (HACT) were awarded £2000 purchase of a 16-seater Hybrid minibus to operate ring and ride service in Offord Cluny, Offord D'Arcy, Great Paxton, Yelling.
Offord United Football Club were awarded £2000 for a contribution towards the hiring and maintenance of temporary changing facilities for the 2013/14 football season.
Toseland Parish Council were awarded £2500 to enhance the facilities of St Michael’s Church Toseland.