Wiltshire Village Halls

For several years Westmill Solar has funded a Community Buildings Energy Assessments scheme, run by the Low Carbon Hub, offering community buildings free energy assessments. These identify actions that can be taken to reduce energy use, to help community buildings transition to a low carbon economy and improve their community spaces. In recent years we have expanded eligibility for the scheme, to include village halls anywhere in Wiltshire.

Solar panels on a village hall roof

Work taking place to install solar panels with scaffolding and a ladder in the foreground, leaning against the scaffolding.Assessments are carried out by our partner EiE (Environmental Information Exchange), a non-profit unit at Oxford Brookes University. The practical recommendations are presented with estimated installation costs, financial savings and pay-back periods, so that community buildings can prioritise which measures they would like to fund. The energy assessments were allotted to the first eight villages to submit applications.

We have enjoyed working with village hall committees and following their progress. We hope to be able to provide more funding opportunities for community energy assessments in the future to help more community buildings to assess their energy usage and improve community spaces.

As part of our guiding co-operative principles, Westmill Solar Co-operative is committed to supporting community organisations to provide benefit to their communities and championing the transitioning to a low carbon economy. Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@westmillsolar.coop if you would like to know more.

Applications for this round of Energy Assessments are closed. We anticipate further funding being available in the future and we will update our Community Funding page when more information becomes available.

Case study: Dilton Memorial Hall

Built in 1921, Dilton Memorial Hall is a registered charity, with a management committee of Trustees. The hall is used every day by a range of groups offering sessions including pilates, yoga, table tennis, parents/carers and toddlers, singing, short mat indoor bowls, and Kung Fu for children and young people, plus many more. It is very well-used and well-loved by a wide range of people from the local community and beyond.

As such a well-used community resource, the Management Committee was investigating ways to improve the hall’s environmental sustainability and looking at the possibility of installing solar panels and battery storage.

Following an energy assessment by Environmental Information Exchange (EiE) and subsequent carbon reduction recommendation report from EiE, the management committee decided to go ahead with the work to install cavity wall insulation and solar panels.

I support Westmill Solar because it directly benefits communities and individual investors in clean energy projects uncompromised by the conflicting interests of large corporations.

Jane Buckley
Westmill Solar Member

When I first saw the share offer for Westmill Solar I thought what a great idea, the interest is better than the banks. But that was not the main reason for investing, it was the idea I would be helping my son and others with a better cleaner future.

Alan Barlow
Westmill Solar Member

I like the fact that the wind farm is producing home grown renewable energy and is 100% community owned.

Westmill Wind Farm Member

I am a DIY investor who started reading up on investing at university before taking the plunge by purchasing index funds in 2010. I am still very enthusiastic about renewable energy and thanks to a healthy interest payment every year, I haven't missed the money I've invested.

Maureen McGuinness
Westmill Solar Member

I became a shareholder in Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative because I wanted to take some responsibility for the energy that I was consuming. I also wanted to be part of a community that championed the move towards renewable energy.

David Abley 
Westmill Solar and Wind Member

I invested because I believe in local, renewable energy projects.

I have very little savings and no experience in stocks and shares but wanted to support your initiative. I thought that it might not lose money and possibly give a return equal to bank savings account.

Beth Edwards
Westmill Solar Member

I joined and invested in Westmill Windfarm Co-operative because I believe in the absolute necessity of switching to renewable generation, and preferably in community ownership - why is it taking so long?

Westmill Wind Farm Member

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