Sheringham Shoal Community Fund
As well as providing individual sponsorship for relevant projects and events in North Norfolk, Scira has worked with the Norfolk Community Foundation to establish the Sheringham Shoal Community Fund. The fund provides grants to North Norfolk community groups, including schools and NGOs, seeking financial assistance for projects or initiatives that meet key criteria and focus on renewable energy, marine environment and safety, sustainability, or education in these areas.:
Interested groups can find out more or submit an outline proposal form, available from www.norfolkfoundation.com at any time. The grant panel will consider outline proposals and selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal for consideration. Full applications are normally considered at meetings twice a year with the next scheduled for May 2012
Since its establishment in 2010, the Sheringham Shoal Community fund has made grant awards totalling almost £60,000 to the following organisations:
| Organisation | Purpose | Date Awarded |
| Bacton-on-Sea Village Hall | The installation of a 5 kilowatt wind turbine to help reduce the hall’s carbon emissions | December 2011 |
| 1st Mundesley (Air) Scout Group | Funds to replace the current lighting in the Heritage Centre and Shell Gallery with more efficient bulbs and additional fittings | December 2011 |
| Sheringham & District Preservation Society | Monies towards the installation of 20 photovoltaic panels on the roof of the new scout hut. | December 2011 |
| Wells Maltings Trust | Funding towards the cost of architect’s fees for the redevelopment of the Sackhouse building to provide a youth space and a small business space | May 2011 |
| Wells Area Partnership | Funding for the “how to green” guide project to encourage local residents and businesses to consider green energy options | May 2011 |
| Norfolk Ornithologists’ Association | Analysis of five years of bird watching data | May 2011 |
| Museum of the Broads | Contribution towards the costs of installation of photovoltaic solar panels | May 2011 |
| National Coastwatch Institution, Mundesley | Funding to replace three windows in the Mundesley Coastwatch station | December 2010 |
| Holt Community Centre | Funding for a green energy project involving photovoltaic solar panels and cavity wall insulation | December 2010 |
| Unity Wind Limited | To fund the cost of a noise survey in respect of a community wind farm | June 2010 |
| The Mason Trust | To help fund the costs of the climate run event at Holkham Estate | June 2010 |
| Norfolk Ornithologists’ Association | Scientific analysis of bird watching data | June 2010 |
Case study: Holt Community Centre
Holt Community Centre is the focus of a great deal of community activity, with over twenty organisations using the building on a regular basis.
The Management Committee was keen to reduce the Centre’s carbon footprint and embarked upon a Green Energy Project.
Funds totalling £19,500 were raised including a grant of £4,500 from the Sheringham Shoal Community Fund. This money has enabled Holt Community Centre to install twenty photovoltaic panels on the roof and improve wall insulation. The panels provide a peak power of 3.7kW and have an estimated annual output of 2,800 kWh. The electricity generated is used in the Community Centre with any surplus being exported to the National Grid, thereby gaining income through the Feed-in Tariff.
Barry Pilgrim, a member of the Management Committee, said: “This project has reached a highly satisfactory conclusion after two years of planning and grant gathering. The community remains extremely grateful to the Sheringham Shoal Fund (operated by the Norfolk Community Foundation) for its grant towards this development”.
Holt Community Centre
