MORE than £170,000 has been given in grants by a charitable fund which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The fund, established to benefit residents within 10 kilometres of the RWE Renewables Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm, is celebrating 10 years, having given more than £170,000 in grants to charities and voluntary organisations in the area.

The RWE Renewables Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm Community Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne and Wear and Northumberland has given grants to voluntary and community projects based in the Shotley Low Quarter, which covers Shotley Bridge, Whittonstall and surrounding villages.

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Pete Barrett, senior programme manager at the Community Foundation, said: “Over the years the RWE Renewables Kiln Pit Hill Wind Farm Community Fund has supported a number of organisations in the area and a diverse range of projects including maintenance of community buildings, funding local theatre performances, upgrading the Parish Councils IT system and installing defibrillator units. In rural communities such as these, the grants this fund provides become increasingly vital”.

Andy Spencer, chair at Whittonstall Community Band, said: "Without the contribution from the RWE Community Fund, we simply wouldn't have been able to get the band started. From 2014 the funding has been integral to the success of the band - along with the joyful enthusiasm of successive band leaders and members.”

Kathryn Harries, UK community investment officer at RWE Renewables said: "RWE is delighted to be able to offer such long-term support to our neighbours and will continue to do so for the lifetime of the wind farm.”