Twelve young people from Largs enjoyed a sailing expedition with the Ocean Youth Trust thanks to a grant from SSE.

This is because Largs Community Sport and Leisure Club were awarded £3,000 from the Hunterston offshore wind farm fund.

During the five day trip from Oban to Skye and Mull on board a 70 foot vessel, the young people got to learn a range of sailing and navigation skills including setting up the sails, steering the boat and plotting positions.

Nick Fleming from Ocean Youth Trust said: “Voyages offer young people a life changing opportunity, giving them a chance to take part in teamwork and leadership roles. Our voyages would not be possible without the vital funding received from groups such as SSE.”

For each £1 awarded by SSE through its grant-making programme, recipients sourced an additional £5.26 in match funding from other sources.

SSE Head of Sustainability Rachel McEwen said: “As a responsible company, SSE seeks to be an active contributor to the communities that we are part of and we are delighted to have played an instrumental role our part in bringing these projects to fruition.

“We hope that these projects will leave a lasting legacy for the local communities in Ayrshire and that the success of these projects will encourage more groups to come forward and apply for funding.”

SSE’s 2016/17 community investment annual review documents every award made from SSE’s 27 community benefit funds from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017. The funds are provided as a part of a commitment made during the development of SSE’s renewable energy projects in Great Britain from 2002 to the present day, with funding decisions taken by independent community panels or trusts.

For more information on SSE’s wind farm funds or to read their report please visit: http://sse.com/beingresponsible/responsiblecommunitymember/communityinvestmentannualreview/