Wind farm builders to launch £4m community fund and create visitor centre

Rampion, which was responsible for building the wind farm off the Worthing, Lancing and Shoreham coast, is to launch a £4 million fund to benefit communities across Sussex.
Final Turbine Installation at Rampion SUS-170922-094935001Final Turbine Installation at Rampion SUS-170922-094935001
Final Turbine Installation at Rampion SUS-170922-094935001

As well as incorporating a £3.1 million community benefit fund to support local community groups, charities and not for profit organisations, £800,000 will be invested in a Rampion Visitor Centre to be located in Brighton, just east of the i360.

A charitable donation of £100,000 is also being made to local RNLI stations.

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The Rampion Fund at Sussex Community Foundation will support the community, from Littlehampton Harbour in the west, to Beachy Head in the east and up to the A272 near Twineham in the north close to the wind farm’s onshore substation.

Chris Tomlinson, development and stakeholder manager for the Rampion offshore wind farm, said: “We’re delighted to be able to launch the Rampion Fund being managed by Sussex Community Foundation. Our aim is to make a real difference to npeople living in the area surrounding the wind farm and we hope many organisations will apply to the fund to support their local Sussex projects.

“We’re also happy to be able to announce the location of the Rampion Visitor Centre, due to open later next year. The newly refurbished seafront arches in Brighton were chosen due to their view of the wind farm, high footfall location and excellent public transport connections, as well as their size of floor space, which will allow us to house exhibitions and interactive displays for visitors to learn more about wind energy and discover the whole Rampion story.”

The community benefit fund will be managed by Sussex Community Foundation, a local grant-making charity with a successful track record in managing community funds and supporting local charities and community groups.

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Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available, with higher grants up to £50,000 for larger capital projects.

Kevin Richmond, chief executive of Sussex Community Foundation, said: “We’re pleased to be chosen to work with Rampion to help manage this community fund.

“This fund will have a very positive long term impact for local charities and community groups. We are excited to be managing it and we will make sure that it reaches the local groups that most need the funding. “The deadline for the first round of grant making is Friday, January 12, 2018 and the full criteria can be found on our website sussexgiving.org.uk/rampion.”

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