National Lottery cash to improve community buildings across Causeway Coast and Glens area

Patrick Frew, Committee Member from Cloughmills Community Action Team said: “We have received support from the National Lottery Community Fund over 20 years, and the first grant gave us the confidence to consider how we can help environment, when it wasn’t the main purpose of the group.

“In recent years we received a grant for solar panels which have helped save over £1,000 in energy costs each year. We have a Men’s Shed, which is used every day by older people, to make things and reduce loneliness.

"The savings have allowed us to buy more equipment and help keep it running. We have been able to look at other things such repairing bikes and metal work, all reducing wastage and helping us reuse.

“As a village we are looking at how we can be sustainable and rely on our own resources, we wouldn’t have thought that was possible back at the start of the journey, and who doesn’t want to save some money, while helping a good cause, a cleaner planet for us all.”

The National Lottery Community Fund is open for applications from community organisations across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area who would like to make their buildings more energy efficient and save money on bills.

The £5 million Sustainable Community Buildings programme is offering grants of up to £50,000 to help organisations carry out improvements to their venues by installing technology like solar panels, insulation and heat pumps, saving money on energy bills.

Organisations that take part in the programme will have a chance to complete free accredited carbon literacy training delivered by Business in the Community, which will help them to look at ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Action Renewables will also support them to write and implement an environmental plan to consider steps to improve sustainability and cut costs.

The Fund is open for applications until Wednesday, October 23. For more information visit The National Lottery Community Fund’s website www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/northern-ireland or contact their enquiries team on 028 9055 1455, [email protected].