Wind farm developer Ørsted’s latest funding round sees the East Coast Community Fund hit the £3m milestone in grants awarded since launch in 2017.
From creating live music alongside professional orchestra Manchester Camerata to over 700 volunteers being brought to action on Eastern beaches, seventeen organisations have been awarded a share of over £226,000 in the last quarter of last year.
Ørsted operates six wind farms on the East Coast. The East Coast Community Fund is a legacy project from two of the wind farms: Hornsea 1 and Race Bank. These two windfarms have a combined capacity of nearly 1.8 gigawatts, meaning they can power electricity for 1.5 million UK homes.
Imran Nawaz, Senior Advisor & Community Benefit Fund Manager for Ørsted, said: “It’s been a fabulous way to start 2025, hearing about all these incredible projects. Well done to the worthy organisations, we’re looking forward to seeing the impact of their efforts and continuing our commitment to supporting local communities.”
Hannah Bester, Senior Manager, Volunteering & Citizen Science Team at the Marine Conservation Society said: “Funding will enable us to engage with over 700 volunteers across eastern England, from South Holland to the East Riding of Yorkshire. Many of our volunteers take part in citizen science activities, like Beachwatch where they collect, record, and remove beach litter.
“Beachwatch positively impacts our marine environment by collecting valuable data evidence to influence policy change on problematic litter, like single use plastics and sewage related items, while also removing litter pollution and encouraging positive behaviours through volunteering in the outdoors.”
The full list of organisations awarded grants in the latest round of the Community Benefit Fund are as follows:
- Angle for the Community, Running Costs and Volunteer Training, £2,880
- Samaritans of Boston, Being There for Listening and Outreach, £9,900
- Wrangle Parish Hall, Internal LED Lighting Conversion, £2,800
- Sussex Bowling Club, Second Rescue of Sussex Bowling Club in Cleethorpes, £5,000
- The Boston Preservation Trust, Fydell House:Repairs, Improved Accessibility and Dedicated Volunteer Space, £33,000
- Ren’s Rescue, Ren’s Withernsea Wildlife Hub, £3,224
- Rock Foundation UK Limited, Heneage Road, Grimsby – Creating a Sustainable Future, £16,000
- Shalom Youth Centre, Youth Worker East Marsh, Grimsby, £26,908
- Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire, Cleethorpes – Backyard Nature Clubs, £5,000
- Bells and Whistles Exercise Group, Paths & Potholes, £1,500
- Boston Squash & Racketball Club, Energy Efficiency (Insulation) Improvements, £5,000
- Favour Foundation Limited – Your Place – Oasis Garden Hub and Garden Volunteer/Buddy Scheme £20,878
- Hornsea and District Indoor Bowls Club Ltd, Battery Storage System, £18,720
- Orchestras Live, Intergenerational Music-Making Activities Engaging Community Groups in Withernsea and Hornsea, £15,000
- Synergy Grimsby CIC, Woods, Waves, Walks and Workshops, £28,000
- Marine Conservation Society, The Power of the East Coast Community for Ocean Conservation, £23,267
- Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire, Rural Outreach, £9,810
