Lottery windfall for Armoy

Armoy LOL 1065 has been awarded £9,952 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Energy Efficient Venues programme which offers Lottery cash to local groups to carry out improvements to their community venues so they make savings on their heating and lighting costs and cut down on their spending.

The group will use the funding to install a new oil fired combinations boiler, a sealed flue and thermostats in its hall. They will also buy new double glazed windows, and insulate the venue’s roof, as well as buying a range of energy efficient appliances.

These improvements which will help the group will be able to cut down on the amount of heating and electricity they are using, so they can reduce their bills and put more money into the activities and services they run for the local community.

Frank Hewitt, the Big Lottery Fund’s NI Chair said: “Organisations can apply for two grant sizes through the Energy Efficient Venues programme. Grants of £2,000 - £10,000 and grants of £15,000 - £50,000 are available for groups to carry out improvements such as double glazing, upgrading insulation, installing a more efficient heating system.

“If the venue is already energy efficient, a grant could give organisations the opportunity to install solar panels, wind turbines, or biomass technologies such as wood pellet boilers.

“It is possible to apply for a small grant followed by a large grant, but community organisations must be aware that if they plan to do this they need to get their applications for a small grant in to the Big Lottery Fund by the end of August 2011.

“This will give them time to have their small grant assessed and awarded and to complete their project before they apply for a large grant.”

Information and application packs for the Energy Efficient Venues programme are currently available and can be accessed by visiting the programme pages of our website www.biglotteryfund.org.uk or by calling the Big Lottery Fund’s Information and Events team on 028 9055 1455.