A community centre has received funding from the Northern Powergrid Foundation to help provide a sustainable energy source and enhanced community facilities to protect residents during a power crisis.  The Northern Powergrid Foundation, established by Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network that powers the lives of 8 million people in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is passionate about being able to support communities and creating resilient and thriving communities through access to funds.  

Sunniside Community Centre

The small rural village to the east of Tow Law and north of Crook in County Durham, Sunniside received financial support from the Northern Powergrid Foundation to enhance resilience. Sunniside Community Association which owns and runs the Sunniside Community Centre received £18,485 to support their residents with solar panels and battery storage at their community space. 

Suzanne, Sunniside Community Association volunteer said “The Foundation has enabled our community-ran centre to be resilient as a community hub at times of need but also benefit on the daily through lower energy bills. We are excited to see how the project stacks up in the winter and future winters after that. Without the support we wouldn’t be able to benefit from the solar panels and the batteries on the daily as we do right now, thanks so much to the Foundation.” 

Sunniside photo caption L-R: MP Richard Holden, representatives of the Sunniside Community Association and Anne Haswell, on behalf of the Northern Powergrid Foundation outside of Sunniside Community Centre, Durham. 

MP Richard Holden, who has played a key role in supporting the applications and helped present the cheque to the community of Sunniside said: “It was great to join Sunniside to help present Northern Powergrid Foundation’s cheque to the Community Centre after supporting their bid. Liz and everyone that volunteers here does such a fantastic job, it’s more than deserved. What’s more, having seen first-hand all the important work they do I know that this money will go a long way. It is a huge step in the right direction for the people of Sunniside and look forward to the difference it will undoubtedly make.” 

Support offered by the Northern Powergrid Foundation

The funding awarded is part of a batch of successful applications to The Northern Powergrid Foundation, which was set up to support and improve local community energy resilience. The scheme has, so far, awarded £560,000 and supported over 40 projects across Northumberland and County Durham worst hit by the winter storms of 2021-22. Ten of these projects are located in MP Richard Holden’s constituency of North West Durham and have received a total funding of over £90,000 from The Foundation. 

The funded communities are delivering unique and exciting projects that will have a lasting impact by enabling hubs to be self-sufficient in supporting their residents today, tomorrow and in the future. Projects include the establishment or the expansion of community hubs so that the likes of community halls and parish halls can play a vital role in keeping their community safe and warm during power interruptions with the introduction of solar panels, heat pumps and generators.  

Louise Lowes, Northern Powergrid Foundation Trustee said: “It’s great to see the Foundation support projects such as Sunniside’s that have a lasting benefit to community resilience. The Foundation is looking forward to supporting more community projects served by Northern Powergrid that are centred around one or more of the charity’s key priority areas”.  

More about The Northern Powergrid Foundation  

The Northern Powergrid Foundation will officially launch soon. The Foundation is currently reviewing the applications received in the latest round from communities across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire served by Northern Powergrid. The Foundation’s mission, complementing Northern Powergrid’s ambition to be a force for good in the communities it serves, is to support communities most affected by changes in the economy, environment, and society because of the shifting energy landscape. This will be achieved by supporting projects focused on helping to tackle energy resilience during emergency events, vulnerability, fuel poverty, levelling the rural divide, innovation, social support, and community collaboration. The Foundation will work with community partners to identify the best ways to create a positive and enduring impact for communities located within Northern Powergrid’s region.  

The Foundation will be open for applications biannually. The Foundation is currently assessing applications received in this latest round from all communities served by Northern Powergrid covering activities that are in support of the charity’s priorities. Community groups interested in finding out more about the Foundation and when to apply for funding up to £20,000 should visit www.northernpowergridfoundation.com