Generating the best ideas to benefit Island community

It follows the initial public meeting held in March on how best to spend the money arising from the profits of the community ownership of 20% of the Stornoway Wind Farm.

The event will provide an opportunity for residents and local groups to develop initial ideas for community funded projects.

A wide range of views were generated at the last event, including supporting local sports, offering energy efficiency measures for homes, scholarships and supporting youth groups.

The Stornoway Trust has been analysing proposals set out by investment advice specialists, KPMG, into the community equity options available and are currently considering the best options for the 20% share ownership. The purchase of the 20% option could mean finance raised in the region of £30-40 million. Residents in the Stornoway Trust area are invited to drop in and meet representatives of the Stornoway Trust and Lewis Wind Power to discuss the community benefit fund and the distribution of profits from the ownership option.

Darren Cuming, project director at Lewis Wind Power said: “We were delighted by the great turnout we had from organisations and individuals at our last community drop-in, with some great ideas generated.

“We now want to develop these ideas further to discuss how some of these ideas could in due course be turned into reality. The Stornoway Trust and Lewis Wind Power will be on hand to discuss great ideas from the community. We want to ensure the community benefits as much as possible from the large sums of money that will be generated.”