Community Power Fund continues to benefit local projects and remains open for new applications

Cranwell Community Choir and Heckington Windmill Trust are the latest to benefit from the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant Community Power Fund and the scheme is still open for applications.

Since it was set up in 2019, the Power Fund has awarded more than £150,000 to 56 community projects in Sleaford and the surrounding area.

Heckington Windmill Trust was formed in 1984 and manages and operates the only eight-sailed windmill in the UK, supported by over 75 volunteers.

The recently approved Power Fund grant will support the Trust in purchasing a new oven to enable bread production, tastings and courses. The group said the funding would strengthen the windmill’s role as a community hub by enabling full field-to-fork demonstrations, enhanced workshops and greater visitor engagement.

The provision of fresh bread will also encourage the sale of flour and the workshops will allow more people to learn the economic and health benefits of home baking. The potential increase in flour and bread sales will allow for greater income for the Trust to be spent on further development of the site and taking forward educational programmes and baking courses.

Cranwell Community Choir was established in October 2025 to offer a social activity for residents within the village.

Increasing membership has already necessitated a move from the Parish Church to the Old School in Cranwell village, but this comes with hire costs. The funding will allow the group to secure the future of its expanding choir until subscription income can match ongoing outgoings.

The group, which is open to anyone over 18, said that growing membership and recent successful performances show clear local demand. Rehearsals are every Thursday between 6.30pm and 8pm to prepare for concerts, Easter and Christmas, while during the summer months they meet fortnightly before a break in August.

In its long-standing partnership with North Kesteven District Council, the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant seeks to allocate up to £25,000 a year to support community projects within a five-mile radius of the plant.

With a focus on encouraging community cohesion to build stronger communities, there is an emphasis on projects relating to the environment, sport, wellbeing and education.

The scheme is open for eligible applications, anytime. They are considered on a quarterly basis, with a deadline of August 12 for the next round of applications.

Additional information on this grant scheme, and others, can be found at: www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/grants.

Councillor Richard Wright, Leader of North Kesteven District Council, said: “Local communities and the people within them are at the heart of everything we do at the council.

“Being able to give financial support to such fantastic groups and community projects shows how valuable the Community Power Fund is, and I would like to encourage more local groups to send their applications in.”

For a local project to be supported by the Power Fund, it must meet the following objectives:

•    Cover one of the following: the environment, sport, wellbeing and education
•    Encourage community cohesion to build stronger communities
•    Benefit the community/group by supporting activities and projects that bring wider community benefit