Bright Green Community Trust
The Bright Green Community Trust (BGCT) provides grant funding for ‘green’ projects, across the Holme Valley Civil Parish and the Graveship of Holme.
This fund has been set up by HoTTWind@Longley Ltd, a community benefit society that operates a wind turbine which supplies green electricity to Longley Farm, near Holmfirth.
The mission of the Board of Trustees for the Bright Green Community Trust (BGCT) Fund is ensure that the community wind turbine, whilst having obvious environmental benefits, also provides significant benefits to local people. The BGCT Fund application process is being administered by One Community, the Community Foundation for Kirklees.
Funding must directly benefit local community projects and initiatives, such as:
- Projects that have clear environmental benefits
- Community food growing projects
- Energy efficiency or saving projects
- Renewable energy projects
- Educational projects with a sustainability angle
- Projects that reduce or prevent pollution
- Projects that alleviate fuel poverty
- Carbon reduction projects that involve or promote biodiversity or conservation work
All projects must be community-based, reduce carbon emissions and contribute towards a more sustainable future for the Holme Valley community.
Applications are invited up to £3,000, from not-for-profit organisations and also individuals, (and can also be part of a contribution towards a higher cost project). Larger grants may, in exceptional circumstances, be awarded at the discretion of the grants panel.
Projects must be within the Holme Valley Civil Parish boundary, (incorporating the Graveship of Holme), see the map on the One Community website.
Janet Williams, Chair of HoTT (Holmfirth Transition Town) and Chair of the Trustees of the BGCT said in 2017: “We are delighted to finally announce the launch of our new Community Fund, which will be supported by some of the income generated by the HoTTWind@Longley turbine. We are now inviting applications for grants for green projects which residents would like to develop in the Holme Valley. We expect that the projects will be community based, help to cut carbon emissions and contribute towards a more sustainable future for the Holme Valley community.”
Mandy Fawcett, from Longley Farm and a Trustee of the BGCT also said, “The partnership between Longley Farm and HoTT came about as a way to promote and encourage environmental projects, whilst ensuring that local people would benefit. After a year of generating electricity, it will be great to see the benefits of the turbine coming into effect.”
The fund is open to applications on the 1st of July each year with funding grants awarded following the closing date of 31st July. Further details and a link to the application form can be found on the One Community website – click here
