New funding announced by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution and SSEN Transmission will help community groups across the Isle of Wight to build local resilience and protect vulnerable community members.
This is the 7th year of SSEN’s Resilient Communities Fund (RCF) which has provided over £3.4million of funding to 568 projects. In this latest round of annual grants, the RCF is awarding £480,000 to 29 successful applicants – comprised of non-profit making organisations, community groups and charities – across its UK network area.
On the Isle of Wight, 2 groups will benefit from funding including:
- Isle of Wight Search and Rescue (WightSAR) – £20,000 to purchase a new control vehicle
- Maritime Volunteer Service Isle of Wight – £4,541.59 to enable upgrade of existing boat
Other projects that will benefit the Isle of Wight in someway include Hampshire Search and Rescue Dogs (£12,870) and Hampshire Search and Rescue (£20,000).
Morven Smith, SSE’s Head of Community Investment said:
“I’m delighted to see how many groups in this latest round have embraced our criteria and been successful in their applications, which will benefit so many people across the areas in which SSEN operates.
“It’s no small claim to say that – at SSEN – our customers and communities are at the heart of all we do, and through the Resilient Communities Fund, SSEN reinforces that commitment and helps empower them to build stronger communities now and for the years to come.”
Set up in 2014 as a 2-year pilot scheme, SSEN pledged to extend the fund to 2023 using a proportion of the income it receives from the industry regulator Ofgem in relation to its stakeholder engagement performance.
