COMMUNITIES in Swindon and across the Ridgeway are being urged to apply for grant funding of up to £20,000

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is seeking worthy groups and charities for a share of its Resilient Communities Fund.

This year, SSEN has made £1 million available to non-profit making organisations, community groups and charities working to protect and enhance the resilience of those most vulnerable in central southern England.

The deadline date for applications is June 1 and the distribution operator is keen to make sure as many eligible groups as possible apply.

Applications are invited from communities for grants available from £1,000 up to £20,000 and in exceptional cases - involving multi-year and multi-community applications - funding up to a maximum of £50,000 will be considered.

More than 590,000 SSEN customers live and work in the Ridgeway region - which covers areas from Chippenham to Swindon, Oxford to Andover and across the villages and towns in between.

Applicants are asked to consider the criteria for funding, which seeks to support projects falling under these two categories: enhancing community facilities to improve resilience for emergency events - such as extended power loss - and protecting the welfare of vulnerable community members. 

The panel, made up of organisations with expertise in community resilience planning will review applications and determine which projects should receive funding, with the successful applications announced in the autumn.

Morven Smith from SSEN, said: "We have increased this year’s funding pot to its highest ever level in a bid to help communities across central southern England to enhance the strength and resilience of their residents in times of adverse weather and emergency situations.

“As we have seen, year on year since the Resilient Communities Fund launched, communities are using the funding available to them to work collectively, protecting vulnerable members of the community and building on the resources needed locally to provide all residents with robust support in difficult times.

“This year’s higher level of funding will give more communities the chance to confidently respond to situations created by adverse weather events and emergencies. I want to encourage all eligible groups, organisations and charities to look at how the fund could benefit their local area and get their applications in to us ahead of the June 1 deadline.”

To find out more, read SSEN’s annual fund reports and apply for funding, please visit https://www.ssen.co.uk/RCF/