Wind farm developer Equinor held an event on Wednesday, November 2 to celebrate awarding over £1 million to projects in North Norfolk through the Sheringham Shoal Community Fund.

The Sheringham Shoal Community Fund was established in 2010 and receives an annual donation of £100,000 from the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm, operated by Equinor.

This has enabled it to provide grants totalling £1,069,749 to 114 community projects that focus on renewable energy, marine environment and safety, sustainability or education in these areas.

The grant that took the fund through the £1 million milestone was awarded to the Hawk and Owl Trust in May 2022 – and the celebration event on November 2 was held at the charity’s visitor centre at Sculthorpe Moor, near Fakenham.

The event was attended by organisations who have received grants from the fund, as well as members of the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm, who heard how local communities have benefitted from the range of projects supported by this funding.

Many of the visitors also went on a trailer ride to see the plethora of birds and other wildlife that inhabit Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve, with the trailer being towed by an electric vehicle purchased by the Hawk and Owl Trust with its Community Fund grant.

Colin Galer, Sheringham Shoal plant manager, said: “I believe the grant criteria associated with Sheringham Shoal Community Fund continue to be as relevant to the North Norfolk community today as they were when the fund was established 12 years ago, so my colleagues and I here at Equinor look forward to seeing many more innovative grant applications over the coming years.”

The Sheringham Shoal Community Fund is administered by the Norfolk Community Foundation.

Full details of the grant application criteria can be found at www.norfolkfoundation.com/funding-support/grants/groups/sheringham-shoal-community-fund