A community centre has received funding from the Northern Powergrid Foundation to help provide resilience during a power crisis and provide energy efficiency on everyday occurrences. 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.

Slaley Commemoration Hall

The village to the southeast of Hexham, in Northumberland, Slaley received financial support from Northern Powergrid on behalf of the Northern Powergrid Foundation to enhance resilience at the Slaley Commemoration Hall, a hub used by local residents and ran by a small team of volunteers, with £18,400 to support their residents with battery storage to connect to their established solar panel arrays on the roof. This means the warm and resilient hub will be able to run off the battery power stored from the power generated by the solar panels for up to three days should the power go off and also having the extra benefit of cost savings by operating from the battery and also have the opportunity to sell the electricity back to the grid.

Stella Douglass, Slaley Commemoration Hall Treasurer said “Our vibrant village hall is now in a position to serve our diverse community no matter the circumstance. We can continue to raise spirits and provide the same level of service at our newly established warm and resilient hub with the addition of the funded battery storage connecting to our previously installed solar panels. Without the grant we wouldn’t have been able to become a resilience and warm hub that is there to serve our community if it wasn’t for the funds. The community is extremely grateful for the funds that has enabled our hall and those that use it resilient.”

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. 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 Slaley’s that have a lasting benefit to community resilience and efficiency. The Foundation is looking forward to supporting more community projects served by Northern Powergrid that have a focus on 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 has awarded funds to 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