Local community projects in Conwy get financial boost

Three projects which will make a real difference to communities in Conwy have been awarded a share of more than £21,000 funding from RWE Innogy UK’s Rhyl Flats Wind Farm Community Fund. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Citizens Advice Bureau Cylch Conwy will receive £9,769 to deliver an ‘Advice and Information at Home’ project. This will enable a caseworker to visit residents who are not able to attend their offices. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A similar project which has previously received support from the fund has been successful in Abergele and Pensarn, and CAB Cylch Conwy will now be looking to extend to the communities of Pentre Mawr, Towyn and Kinmel Bay. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Deafblindness Cymru has been awarded £8,873 to undertake a project which aims to resolve social issues related to deafblindness. The funding will support a high quality, personalised and completely free of charge Community Outreach Service for adults of all ages with sight and hearing loss or impairment as well as their families in all the RWE eligible wards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Book of You is also set to benefit from £2,500 support to recruit and train volunteer Life Reminiscence Champions to deliver reminiscence activities for people with dementia in the RWE community fund area, using Book of You’s multimedia life story system. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other community or voluntary groups, charities, and town and community councils in Conwy are being encouraged to apply to the Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm Community Fund, which is administered by the Welsh Government and provides grants of between £2,000 and £10,000. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am pleased that these three important projects will share more than £21,000 funding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These projects will make a real difference to their communities, helping people gain confidence, learn new skills, support others and improve lives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Rhyl Flats Wind Farm Community Fund is supporting projects which are at the very heart of the local community and I would encourage all community groups interested in applying for funding to find our more about the scheme.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Katy Woodington, senior community investment officer for RWE Innogy UK, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s great to see the community investments from Rhyl Flats Offshore wind farm help to sustain and improve local services by funding projects which otherwise may not have got off the ground. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is especially rewarding to see that these projects include training for volunteers; not just supporting the charity but also helping to upskill the community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​