Projects that support health and wellbeing in Aberdeenshire have each received up to £5,000 through a landmark community benefit fund that represents a major step towards what is expected to be over £100million in funding for communities across the north of Scotland.
A total of 16 projects in Aberdeenshire have each received awards through SSEN Transmission’s East Coast 400kV Overhead Line Upgrade Local Fund. With a total value of £252,000, it is the transmission network operator’s first local fund for communities near to new and upgraded infrastructure, with many more local funds expected to follow.
Among the successful recipients are Inverurie First Responders, which has received £5,000 to purchase PPE and training equipment, including a specialised CPR training dummy that can be used with defibrillator (AED) equipment. Meanwhile, Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool has received £5,000 to purchase a mobile sauna for use during cold water swimming sessions, maximising the health benefits of cold water swimming in the community.
The East Coast 400kV Overhead Line Upgrade Local Fund covers projects based along the 170km route of the existing East Coast overhead line from Kintore in Aberdeenshire to north-east Clackmannanshire, which is being upgraded from 275kV to 400kV operation.
Covering Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perth & Kinross and an area of Clackmannanshire, the fund is the first of four preliminary local funds* created by SSEN Transmission and is dedicated to projects that support health and wellbeing – identified as a key priority area following consultation with local communities.
The UK government recently published new guidance for community benefit funding, which is expected to result in over £100m for communities in the north of Scotland.
It comes as a result of SSEN Transmission’s £20billion investment in new high voltage onshore and offshore infrastructure supporting national energy security and clean energy ambitions, while creating huge economic opportunities in local communities.
Christianna Logan, SSEN Transmission’s director of customers and stakeholders, said: “We are delighted to announce these awards from our East Coast Local Fund, the first local fund forming a key part of what we expect to be over £100million in community benefit funding for communities across the north of Scotland.
“Each of the successful applications are focused on improving health and wellbeing in local communities through initiatives that encourage activity and foster connection – whether through sport and exercise, the arts, or other activities that bring people together.
“Engagement with local communities has been central to our approach towards developing the fund, with health and wellbeing identified as a priority following consultation with communities along the 170km length route of our East Coast overhead line.
“There has been significant interest in the fund since its launch in November, and the standard of applications has been very high. We’d like to thank all those who applied, and our congratulations go to the projects that have been successful.
“We’re now looking forward to seeing the positive impact of this funding in communities across Aberdeenshire.”
Alan Milne, Inverurie Community First Responders Group Coordinator, said: “On behalf of Inverurie Community First Responders, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to SSEN Transmission for awarding us the grant to fund our much-needed PPE and training equipment.
“This year alone we have responded to 13 cardiac arrests within our area of remit, highlighting just how vital our role is in providing early intervention and life-saving care.
“We will use the funding to purchase the Resusci Anne QCPR Airway Head Torso, an advanced training dummy that’s a game-changer for our team allowing for advanced airway management and AED training capabilities that are not usually possible with conventional CPR training equipment.
“To put it into perspective, this is the difference between a basic budget car and a Rolls-Royce - a leap in quality that will make a lasting impact on the skills and confidence of our responders.
“Beyond benefiting our team, we want to use the dummy to provide realistic training sessions for members of the public, helping remove the fear of using an AED. By giving people hands-on experience in a controlled environment, we can build confidence and empower more individuals to step in and act during a cardiac emergency - potentially saving lives.”
Steve Harris, from Friends of Stonehaven Pool, said: “As a community group that works to maintain, enhance and promote the pool, the Friends are delighted and excited to receive this funding that will help broaden the appeal of our cold-water swimming sessions.
“The health benefits of cold-water swimming are well known, along with the benefits of using a sauna – by combining them both we are maximising the health benefits, while attracting more people to join our sessions. The sauna will also help us attract national cold water swimming events, which we are hoping to do later this year.
“Our sessions have proved very popular since we launched them for the first time this winter, but the addition of the sauna will help us increase their popularity and take our activities to the next level.”