Rugby club celebrates wind farm cash
Members of a community rugby club are on a high after receiving nearly £15,000 worth of vital funding from a nearby wind farm.
Strathaven Rugby Club, with nearly 600 members, secured funding to upgrade its floodlights to energysaving LEDs, significantly cutting costs amid rising energy prices.
Founded in 1984, the club has praised OnPath Energy, formally Banks Renewables, who were able to provide funds through Kype Muir Wind Farm’s Community benefits fund. Funding from this project is directed by the Kype Muir Community Panel (KMCP), a collective of local community councils who provide their expertise in delivering real community benefits from this project.
Colin Dalgarno, who has been part of the club for 16 years and now serves as its vice chairman, said: “Those old lights caused huge problems; most of them were broken and even if we did get them all working, it would have cost us an absolute fortune to run because it was old steel bulbs.
“The new LED lights are brilliant; they’ve reduced our running costs significantly.”
The Kype Muir Community Panel (KMCP) channels support from the Kype Muir Community Fund to various initiatives within 10km of the wind farm. Focused on enhancing community buildings, arts, and grassroots projects, the fund prioritises efforts that bring social, economic or environmental benefits to South Lanarkshire communities, especially in designated areas like Lesmahagow, Sandford and Upper Avondale, and others, ensuring targeted and meaningful impact.
Robin Winstanley, director of sustainability and community at OnPath Energy, said:“It’s clear to see that Strathaven Rugby Club is a vital organisation and its 600 members only underscores its importance to the community.”