Kelburn Windfarm Community Fund has opened for applications from Largs, Fairlie and Cumbrae for the 12th consecutive year.

More than £500,000 has been awarded since 2012 to groups and organisations to support local environmental, educational, amenity proposals for appropriate registered not for profit applicants.

Grants from £500 to £8,000 have been given to scores of good causes, many qualifying under the category of social sustainability.
Haylie House Residential Care Home which received £7000 for a Medicare system, £5,000 for Largs First Responders defibrillator equipment project, Fairlie Parish Church Heat and Hospitality initiative £3,500 and Cumbrae Parish Church receiving the top award of £7,500 for an imaginative Plant to Plate scheme involving polytunnels and outdoor classes for schoolchildren on environmental studies.

Sports clubs, theatre, the new Men's Shed and Largs Model Boat Club have also been recipients. In a special arrangement with RES, the operating company of the wind turbines on the Kelburn estate, cost of living and energy proposals were supported. Kelburn Wind Farm Community Fund Chairman Mr Alistair Green said: "In a difficult and challenging year we had an impressive, interesting and varied range of applications from across the communities of Largs, Fairlie and Cumbrae, which we unanimously agreed to support."

Renewable Energy Systems (RES), which operates the wind turbines, will provide more than £50,000 again to be awarded by the local Trust by the summer.

Applicants can submit entries online at www. kelburnwindfarm.co.uk