A fund which shares the benefits of the Fallago Rig Wind Farm with local communities has announced it has awarded over £2 million to projects across the Scottish border since it was formed in 2013.

The Fallago Environment Fund is funded by Roxburghe Estates, Federated Hermes and EDF Renewables UK and shares revenue generated by the 48-turbine wind farm in the Lammermuir Hills.

The revenue generated is shared to initiatives that enhance the region’s built, natural and cultural environment. It has now supported 164 projects and they have benefitted from a total of £2,016,436 so far – with grants from the fund often facilitating the release of additional matched funding.

It helps to leverage income streams for many of the project which wouldn’t have been able to proceed without it, and it’s estimated than an extra £10 has been raised for everyone £1 donated by the Fallago Environment Fund.

The Duke of Roxburghe, Charles, is delighted with how the fund is assisting the local community and is confident it will continue to improve on its work in years to come.

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He said: “The Fallago Environment Fund is unique as a windfarm community fund in that as well as assisting projects in its immediate vicinity, it also helps initiatives across the Scottish Borders. This means that its benefits can be felt in rural communities in the whole region through grants that help to develop the area as a tourism destination, preserve and enhance its environment, and conserve and tell the story of its very special heritage.

“From habitat restoration and historic building preservation to the creation of new museums and assisting projects that support some of our most vulnerable residents and help to develop our young people through education, music and drama, we’ve been able to make a significant impact on Borders life. We’re immensely proud of the contribution the Fund has been able to make and look forward to continuing its important work in the coming years.”

Some of the grant recipients include a black grouse monitoring and Atlantic salmon smolt tracking project, as well as path repair, tree-planting and woodland restoration projects. £75,000 was granted to Torwoodlee Tower while the Union Bridge – the oldest vehicular suspension bridge in the world – received £50,000.

The restoration of Sir Walter Scott’s Pavilion, Coldstream Football Club, the Jim Clark Motor Museum and others have also been helped by the fund.  

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Fallago Environment Fund moved quickly to set up a special £100,000 emergency recovery fund that helped organisations tackle lockdown isolation and improve wellbeing. A subsequent £30,000 fund also helped to repair and develop local paths that had been degraded following significant use during the pandemic.