RES' Community Outreach at Roos Wind Farm Fund Recognised by Regional Award

RES was delighted to win the 'Engaging the Community' award at this year's Humber Renewables Awards for its work with communities around Roos Wind Farm in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Announced on 3 March 2016 at the fifth annual awards ceremony run by the Hull Daily Mail, the award was presented to RES in recognition of the successful establishment of the Roos Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.  The local community was instrumental in setting up the Fund and is directly involved in running it for the operational lifetime of the wind farm.  Roos Wind Farm was developed and built by RES, who now operate and maintain it on behalf of owners The Renewable Infrastructure Group (TRIG).

Accepting the award at the ceremony Phil Brogan, RES' Head of Communications & Community Relations, said:

"The successful creation of this Community Benefit Fund is the culmination of many years of close working with the host communities in and around Roos‎, from the early planning stage of the wind farm right through to construction and now its operation.  This award reflects the involvement and hard work that the local community has put in to making this Fund such a success.  Our particular thanks go to the four parishes who set up the Community Interest Company that manages the Fund and to the local panel members who give up their time to decide which local projects the Fund should support each year."

Now entering its third year of payments, the Community Benefit Fund at Roos Wind Farm provides £36,000 every year which local groups and projects can apply to for grants‎.  Decisions are made by a panel of local representatives and agreed by a Community Interest Company (CIC) established specifically to oversee the Fund.

Phil Brogan continued:

"RES believes that local communities should be able to decide how the investment ‎that our wind farms deliver should be best targeted to meet the current and long term needs of their areas.  It's great to see how the first two years of grants at the Roos Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund have been used to support a wide variety of local projects and initiatives and we look forward to seeing this long term benefit continue over the coming years."

Judith Leech, Joint Chief Executive ‎of East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS) Ltd which administers the Fund for the CIC said,

“I am absolutely thrilled that RES has been recognised, along with the CIC Directors and the Panel Members for their hard work.  It is with their expertise and knowledge of the local area that these funds are distributed to make the difference within the area of benefit.  The latest round of applications is due to close on 31^st March 2016; I look forward to receiving more applications that make all the difference to our communities.”