The Middlemoor Wind Farm Community Fund will invest over £1.6 million into local community activities and projects throughout the lifetime of the wind farm. The annual fund opened in 2013 and is index linked in line with inflation. In 2022 it was worth £111,000 per annum. The area of benefit for the fund was initially be limited to the immediate local area of Eglingham Parish. After the first three year review of the fund the panel have agreed to extend the criteria slightly to allow consideration to be given to applications from groups and organisations outside of Eglingham Parish that provide services and activities that are deemed by the Fund to be of benefit to residents of the Parish.

Setting up the fund, in May 2013, an independent charity, Community Action Northumberland, conducted a consultation on our behalf with the communities in Eglingham Parish. The purpose of this consultation was to establish the type of projects and initiatives that could be supported through the community investment fund.

To see the results of this consultation, please click here:

The fund is administered by independent grant making charity GrantScape supported by a panel of local community members that make decisions on the allocation of funds.  For more information on how to apply please click here:

The fund has very broad criteria and will accept applications for grants ranging from £250 to a maximum of £111,000. Funding bids can be for revenue costs for example to fund group activities or sessions or for capital grants to purchase an item.  The fund also supports individuals from the local community often with education or training grants.

To date the fund has supported initiatives including:

• Setting up of two new community groups,
• Parish Magazine supported for 5 years,
• Community facilities including village halls, churches and playing fields,
• Parish website,
• Parish consultations,
• Educational grants to individuals,
• Defibrillators,
• 100th anniversary celebrations,
• Environmental projects.

The community fund helps to support many useful local projects. For a full list of all awards to date please click here:

The panel and RWE have also decided to start an endowment fund whereby a small proportion of the annual fund is saved each year and invested to generate an income for the community in perpetuity.  This will enable the community of Eglingham to plan for the future knowing they will have access to community funding that will extend beyond the life of the wind farm.  This fund is managed by the Community Foundation of Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.