Grants Now Available for Community Projects Near to Surface Mine

OnPath Energy Press releases

... (c) Wullie Marr PhotographyOrganisers of community projects located near to a West Lothian surface mine are being urged to attend a funding surgery where they can learn how to access thousands of pounds of potential funding.

Hamilton based Banks Mining is looking to grant funds to local community projects in the Fauldhouse and Breich Valley Ward thanks to a community benefit fund generated from its Rusha surface mine.

The surgery will take place on 22 July 2015 at the Fauldhouse Partnership Centre between 12pm and 4pm with grants of up to £5k available for community and voluntary organisations that are charitable, educational, philanthropic or benevolent in purpose and which are located within close proximity of the Rusha surface mine.

Jim Donnelly, operations director at Banks Mining, said: “Since we started operating at Rusha in 2012, every tonne of coal that has left the site has added money to a fund which has already helped to make a lasting benefit to the local community.

“We are delighted to now be in the position to open up the next phase of funding to new applications and looking forward to supporting further projects that will improve the lives of so many people in West Lothian.Banks Mining works with an award-winning PR agency in Scotland

“Our development with care approach is the foundation of what we do and enables us to deliver tangible social, environmental and economic benefits to the communities and areas that host our developments.”

A West Lothian Social Care Group recently benefited from a generous grant of £5,500 awarded through the Banks Community Fund and was able to repair the roof of the Parish Hall at St John the Baptists Church in Fauldhouse.

The application was awarded due to the important function of the Parish Hall within the community as a location for seniors events, kids groups, weddings and as a polling station.

Areas which could be eligible for grants include Fauldhouse, Longridge, Bents, Stoneyburn, Loganlea, Addiewell, Breich, West Calder and Polbeth.

For more information on the event and to find out more about the fund, please contact Siobhan Samson on 0844 264 4601 or visit: http://www.banksgroup.co.uk/development-with-care/bankscommunityfund/surface-coal-mine-community-fund/rusha-surface-coal-mine-community-fund/.

Banks Mining estimates that the Rusha site will contribute more than £5million to the local economy every year through wages and other supply chain contributions, and in addition to the people employed on site, it will also support a number of other off-site jobs in related transport and supplies activity.

The Hamilton based employer has been operating at the surface mine since 2012, as part of a planned seven-year project. The coal extracted from Rusha is used for industrial, domestic and coal fired power generation in both Scotland and England. Once coaling is complete, the 154-hectare site will be fully restored and landscaped to a mixture of woodland and agriculture.

 


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