A COMMUNITY wind turbine energy project has turned a tidy £8,000 profit for local initiatives in its first round of funding.

A school, a church and a village playing fields will all benefit from cash generated by the Alvington Turbine Community Resilience Fund (ATCRF), which will repeat the process every six months for the next 25 years, boosting community projects and groups by up to £500,000.

The 500kw Court Lane-based turbine commissioned in January 2016 was the second community energy product launched by the Woolaston-based Resilience Centre run by Andrew and Sue Clarke, following the erection of the Great Dunkilns Farm turbine in St Briavels in 2013.

Plans for another turbine at Severndale Farm in Tidenham are pending a ruling by the Court of Appeal following a hearing last month (November), after the scheme was approved by the Forest council in 2015, but then challenged and overturned by campaigners in a judicial review.

The ATCRF has donated £2,750 to Woolaston Primary School for new audio-visual resources, £4,750 towards the replacement of equipment at the Aylburton Playing Field to prevent it closing, and £500 for repairs to the Alvington Church clock.

To date, the St Briavels turbine fund has donated more than £55,000 to 15 community causes, including £5,000 to the St Briavels Zero Waste Village Initiative for a rocket digester, £3,000 to The Friends of Lydney Hospital towards a new X-ray machine and £3,060 to the St Briavels Playgroup for new furniture and equipment.

The turbine schemes are financed by community shares, with the profits shared between shareholders and the wider community.

The community benefit society, Resilient Energy Alvington Court Renewables (REACR), which administers the new turbine is now hoping to give more Forest people the opportunity to invest and become members in a £600,000 share issue.

Sue Clarke said: “A new share offer invitation is seeking to raise funds through the issue of shares to repay a construction loan, and those who invest will share directly in the financial returns from the generation of renewable energy whilst also supporting the project’s social andenvironmental aims.

“All shares issued from this offer are expected to yield an average annual return of six per cent. Whilst higher than many returns currently available, the rate is cost effective for the society compared with the long-term loan, and the issuing of new shares will contribute to increasing the society’s surplus – all of which is to be allocated for community benefits under the society’s rules (in addition to the cur-

rent community resilience fund commitment).

“The society wants as many local people as possible to have the opportunity to get involved, so for people living within the Forest of Dean area the minimum share subscription for this share offer is set at a modest £50.”

As well as being expected to donate around £500,000 to support community initiatives in the Alvington/Aylburton area over 25 years, a REACR surplus of a similar amount is also predicted which will be allocated to support broader resilience initiatives in the Forest of Dean area, including an aim to remove 200 homes from fuel poverty.

The Resilience Centre was launched by the Clarkes to promote clean energy projects with environmental, social and economic benefits.

Further details can be found on the Resilience Centre website at www.theresiliencecentre.co.uk or by calling 01594 529688, or the ethical investment website www.ethex.org.uk/REACR2017

Groups and initiatives interested in applying to the next Alvington funding round can find an on-line application form at www.resilientenergy.co.uk/REACR.