Investment for south west Fermanagh and Cavan area from the Slieve Rushen Wind Farm Fund

Is your community project located within 12 km of Slieve Rushen Wind Farm in South West Fermanagh? If yes your group may be eligible to apply for a grant from the Slieve Rushen Wind Farm Fund.

The community fund was launched in 2017 by Mantlin Ltd, owners of the wind farm in conjunction with the Fermanagh Trust. Mantlin Ltd donate £50,000 a year to the Fermanagh Trust to support the initiative and it is hoped that this funding will continue throughout the lifetime of the wind farm’s operation.

 

Lauri McCusker Director of the Fermanagh Trust presenting funding award to Sharon Howe from Swanlinbar Development Association June 2019

The fund has awarded funding to organisations carrying out a range of initiatives in the South West Fermanagh and Cavan area including community playgroups, sports clubs, schools, community associations, art, music and drama groups.

The funding awarded was used for coaching and tuition sessions; development of community centres including disability access; storage and external lighting; outdoor classrooms; equipment costs; arts and crafts programmes; bicycle shelter; development of pitches and running tracks; publication costs and solar panel installation.

Significant investment from the fund went to Swanlinbar Development Association. They used their capital grant to provide hostel accommodation at Trivia House, Swanlinbar which is also used as a community hub and cafe. The Association are driven in their vision to become sustainable through utilising their close location to the Geopark and Cuilcagh board walk to harness tourism into the social enterprise thereby regenerating the area.

The Development Association have recently received further funding to develop a Geopark Tourism Hub to revitalise the village which has suffered from its peripheral border location and the closure of 80% of its shops in the last 30 years. The new hub includes changing room and shower facilities, storage locker and an office and utility facilities for the broad range of outdoor pursuits possible in the area. Namely potholing, hill walking, orienteering, Climbing and water sports. The facility is based in a previously disused building at the rear of the Community Cafe and Hostel at Trivia House.

 

The whole community will benefit from the project which will continue to re-generate the area. Swanlinbar Development Association has worked closely with local groups, businesses and interested individuals this year to formulate a renewal project which will have a positive impact on the village. These works provide a focal enrichment for Swanlinbar to the benefit of the residents, visitors, tourists, walkers and cyclists that call, particularly to the plethora of tourist attractions in the vicinity.

 

Lauri McCusker, Director of the Fermanagh Trust commented “The Slieve Rushen Wind Farm Fund is helping make a positive contribution to these fantastic initiatives and it’s great to see such a range of community activity taking including this innovative tourist development by Swanlinar Development Association. With such active community and voluntary spirit in this area, this Slieve Rushen funding will have a much wider impact and reach. It is once again a proven track record of the community benefit wind farms can bring.”

 

The next closing date for applications is Friday 25th June 2021. For guidelines / application form CLICK HERE / E: gemma@fermanaghtrust.org / Tel: 028 66 320 210.