WHERE DOES ALL THE MONEY GO?

The Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund Ltd is a charitable organisation funded by Renewable Energy Systems Ltd (RES), the operators of the Blackhill Windfarm situated just north of Hardens Hill, to the north of Duns.  The Grant Funding Agreement with RES generates funds through the performance and productivity of the RES windfarm

Over the last 5 months Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund has supported 6 local projects with grants totalling over £15,000

Borders Youth Theatre received £2,000 towards their exciting plans to create a new youth theatre production tour.  

Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance provides a life-saving air ambulance service for use in time-critical emergencies.  Our rural community has already benefited from SCAA and so the Fund was pleased to allocated £2,000 towards this important work

Summer is on its way, and the sound of leather on willow will soon be resounding around Manderston, and Manderston Cricket Club received £1,674 towards the cost of replacing their artificial surface for the practice wicket.  This had become really worn and will be replaced with lots of DIY time and effort.

The Duns Parish Church Hall is used by dozens of community groups over the year, and is the favourite place in Duns for Saturday Morning Fund Raising Coffee Mornings, as well as many other events.  The old carpet in the lower hall was well beyond its sell by date, and has been replaced by wooden flooring which will be much more hygienic, assisted by a grant of £2,738 from the Fund

Abbey St Bathans, Bonkyl and Preston Community Council are fully engaged in exploring the future of their community life, and planning a viable and relevant programme of events for years to come.  The Fund supported this project with a grant of £1,000. 

The Fund has also been able to help with a grant of £6,280 to BREST, which will be used partly to improve the changing areas by fitting ‘wetwall’ panels to replace the old tiles at Duns Swimming Pool, and also to reduce the noise problems in the sports hall by fitting acoustic panels in the fitness room

These allocations have been made by the Board which at the present is:

Administrator and Treasurer – Sharon Cleghorn
Chairman – Donald Ritchie (Gavinton & Fogo CC)
Secretary – John Elliott (Duns CC)
Director – Rachel Anderson (RES Representative)
Director – Mark Rowley (Cranshaws, Ellemford & Longformacus CC)
Director – Victoria Dobbie (Abbey St Bathans, Bonykl & Preston CC)
Director – Rev Stephen Blakey (Independent)
Director – Anne Affleck (Independent)

The CC Directors are appointed by their own Community Council, and they in turn appoint the Independent Directors, who serve for a year at a time and then stand down before the next Annual General Meeting.
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The next AGM is on Thursday 14th August, and we are actively looking for new Independent Directors.  

We welcome all applications for grant funding and application forms can be found on our website www.blackhillcommunityfund.co.uk.  

If you would like to find out more about the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund Ltd you can either visit our website at www.blackhillcommunityfund.co.uk or contact our fund administrator Sharon Cleghorn on shz_conroy@yahoo.co.uk.