Lambs Hill Wind Farm fund building repair grant

A popular County Durham village hall is keeping out the weather with the help of its latest grant from the community fund linked to a nearby wind fund.

As part of its long-term refurbishment plans for the building, the Bishopton Village Hall Association had been investigating issues with the guttering on the south east faces of the building.

But on examining the state of the building, it was found that rainwater had caused severe damage to several of the timbers around that part of the wooden-framed structure which, if left unchecked, could have threatened the venue’s availability to the local community.

After applying to the Lambs Hill Wind Farm community benefits fund for support, the Village Hall Association has now used a £3,100 grant to remove and replace the water-damaged timbers on and to cover their replacements in UPVC cladding to help stop the same problems arising again.

The grant is the latest in a series made to the Association from the Lambs Hill fund which have helped to fund a wide range of improvements to the building’s front elevation, the replacement of its heating system, the installation of a new energy efficient lighting system, the fitting of new and additional insulation and the replacement of  kitchen units and equipment.

Bishopton Village Hall was originally located in the village of Greatham near Hartlepool but was bought by the Parish Council in the 1950s before being taken down, transported across and rebuilt on its present Church View site, with an annex subsequently being added onto the original building.

It hosts a wide range of events and activities, including fitness and yoga classes, the First Bishopton Brownies, Women’s Institute meetings and Darlington Borough Council surgeries, and is also available for hire for private functions.

The community benefits fund linked to the Lambs Hill Wind Farm, which is owned by leading independent renewable energy producer ERG and managed by OnPath Energy, provides around £12,000 of funding for local good causes every year.

The fund operates in line with ERG’s ESG Plan objective of fostering shared value and supporting the sustainable development of the local communities hosting its renewable assets.

Bishopton Village Hall Association committee member Norman Melaney says: “As the only venue of its type in the area, the hall is absolutely central to life in the village and plays a crucial role in bringing people together in lots of different ways.

“A building of this type and age is always going to need a lot of maintenance to keep it in the best possible condition, and while we knew there were problems with this part of the structure, our inspection revealed that things were far worse than we’d expected.

Without the help that we’ve had over the years from the wind farm fund, it’s very likely that we wouldn’t have a village hall today and we’re hugely grateful for the continuing support that we’ve been able to access.”

Norman Melaney, Bishopton Village Hall Association committee member

“The extent of the damage meant that not only did the timbers need urgently replacing, but that if we didn’t do so, there was a real risk that we’d have had to close off the area of the hall that’s underneath them and so limit what the hall could offer to our users.

“The work we’ve been able to do has reinforced the structure and will stop any further water ingress, which means we can now start to look at the next stages of the building improvements that we want to carry out.

More than £100,000 has been allocated from the Lambs Hill Wind Farm Fund and the equivalent fund linked to the nearby Moor House Wind Farm to projects in Bishopton over the last eight years.

Melissa Falconer, Head of Business Development UK of ERG, says: “In acquiring Lambs Hill Wind Farm, ERG has embraced the responsibility of upholding all local planning obligations and community commitments, ensuring a seamless continuity of the values and community support established by the previous ownership.

“For ERG, being a responsible owner means protecting the community’s heritage: from safeguarding the future of the Village Hall to preserving the surrounding landscape, the Wind Farm’s benefits will continue to provide support to the social fabric and history of this area.”

Tom Chaplin, partnership and community manager at OnPath Energy, adds: “These wind farms’ community benefits funds are designed to deliver long-term community value for the people living in the places surrounding them, with the positive impact they have had in Bishopton being a great example of how this can be done.

“The Village Hall Association is absolutely dedicated to ensuring this building remains available to the people of Bishopton and that it offers them the very best possible community facilities.”

Eligibility for the Lambs Hill Wind Farm community benefits fund is normally restricted to projects and activities within Stillington & Whitton, Bishopton, Foxton, Great Stainton, Little Stainton, Grindon and Bishopton Crossing, but projects outside these areas may also be eligible if they can be shown to benefit people living within them.

Environmental and community projects which are interested in applying to its community fund should first contact the fund manager via apply@onpathcommunityfund.co.uk or on 0191 378 6342 to confirm that their group or project is eligible.