A SOUTH LANARKSHIRE bowling club has had much needed repairs thanks to a grant from Banks Renewables Kype Muir Wind Farm and South Lanarkshire Council.
The £15,000 grant from the Renewable Energy Fund (REF), administered by South Lanarkshire Council with money generated by the wind farm, will allow for essential upgrades to the club’s communal lockers and toilets, that had fallen into a poor state of disrepair.
Established in 1879, Lesmahagow Bowling Club has been an integral part of the Lesmahagow community for more than a century. Over 465 people follow the club on its Facebook page. The club also hosts local functions and events.
Bowling Club Director, Ruby Dyer, 81, who has been involved with the club for more than 40 years, applied for the funding from Banks Renewables and South Lanarkshire Council in 2020, after being informed by the local community council.
Admiring the upgraded facilities, Ruby said: “Our club is truly a community venue, where many members and the wider community come to socialise and connect with others.
“It is crucial that our facilities are able to support this demand and that is why the funding is so important, as it will enable us to keep up and running for, hopefully, many years to come.
“The essential renovations enabled by the grant from Banks and South Lanarkshire Council have made a huge difference in getting our facilities back into shape so that everyone can use and enjoy them.”
From weekly game nights to birthday parties and Saturday bingo, the bowling club regularly hosts a variety of community events and functions, designed to bring the wider community together. It is hoping to implement a renewed membership drive over the coming months, following its renovation.
Ruby added: “Our facilities had fallen into a poor state over the last few years, but I’m hopeful with these modernised facilities we will be able to increase our membership numbers.
“Now that the bowling season has finished, we are looking forward to get the public more involved with a wide range of monthly social events.”
The REF forms part of Banks Renewables economic and infrastructure commitments to communities within a 10km radius of Kype Muir Windfarm in Strathaven.
Robin Winstanley, sustainability and external affairs manager at Banks Renewables, said: “A key benefit of Kype Muir is that the REF reaches grassroots community projects like this one.
“This is a shining example of how renewables can not only help Scotland lead the world on climate action, but help local communities flourish at the same time.
“Working together with local communities and South Lanarkshire Council, we want to encourage more to apply to the REF funds to do the same.
”We sincerely hope Ruby and the rest of the club and its wider community enjoy their new facilities and the club has a very successful future.”
The renewable energy fund comes from renewable energy developments across South Lanarkshire which helps communities within 10km of participating windfarms. Since 2004, the council has made grant awards of more than £4m from the REF.
For more information or to apply visit: https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200168/getting_involved_in_your_community/744/renewable_energy_fund_grants
