TWO Test Valley villages are among 34 across the south to be awarded grants from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

The money distributed ranged from £1,250, up to more than £28,000. The recipients - non-profit making organisations, community groups and charities - will receive an overall total of more than £257,000.

Michelmersh and Timsbury Parish Council was given £10,000 to be used to install a Tesla powerwall battery at the village hall.

In King's Somborne the parish council received £6,500 towards portable power generators for domestic and evacuation centre use, as well as secure storage for resilience equipment.

Hampshire Search and Rescue Dogs were also successful in their bid to buy safety equipment for water rescue volunteers and received £9,945.21.

Bramshott and Liphook Parish Council received £4,195 to purchase a generator for the Liphook Millennium Hall and Dragonfly Power received £4,900 to fund energy assessments and reports for four village halls in the Test Valley Borough Council area; Braishfield, Picket Twenty and Upper Clatford. 

Successful applicants set out their campaigns for funding in 2023. The SSEN Resilient Communities Fund Panel then reviewed and discussed all applications, before deciding which projects should receive funding in accordance with the fund’s criteria: Resilience for emergency events and vulnerability.

Applicants were also asked to focus their projects on helping vulnerable or isolated people living in SSEN’s South network area, while demonstrating how their proposals would enhance and improve the welfare of those who are most vulnerable.

Eliane Algaard, SSEN’s director of customer operations, said:  “It’s heartening to see so many groups awarded in this most recent and last round of SSEN’s Resilient Communities Fund. Their successful applications have secured vital funding for their local communities and the vulnerable residents within them.

“No matter how large or small the award, each and every one of these groups has carefully looked at what will benefit their communities most.

“I’m delighted to see the variety, scope and individuality of their awards, and how SSEN is helping bring those projects to life; empowering communities and supporting them to become more resilient now and for many years to come.”

Set up in 2015, the Resilient Communities Fund has provided around £5 million to over 700 not-for-profit community groups and charities. The 2023 Resilient Communities Fund was the final one, with SSEN Distribution preparing to develop and launching a new fund this year.

To find out more about the Resilient Communities Fund and read SSEN’s annual fund reports, go to ssen.co.uk/RCF/.

Article by James Regan