More than £97,000 worth of community awards has been dedicated to local initiatives in Sutherland, from SSE's Achany wind farm funding panel.

The latest round of grants covers three community council areas – Ardgay & District, Creich, and Lairg – and covers building improvements, capital purchases and local job retention.

Over the total lifetime of Achany wind farm, the fund is expected to deliver £2.5m to the local area.

Of the awards, the largest was made to The Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust. The £55,208 will enable the position of Development Manager to be sustained for the next two years. The trust has recently attracted substantial funding to the area for a number of large scale projects.

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Another project to receive funds include the Loch Shin Sailing Club. Its application for £11,500 will now allow the organisation to purchase a safety Rigid-Inflatable Boat (RIB). This will be for use on the loch by current members, as well as to deliver sailing courses to both visitors and the local youth.

Other local projects to benefit are:

• Rosehall Village Hall (£7,500)

• Lairg Gala (£17,000)

• Feis Chataibh (£5,000).

The total investment is £97,158.

SSE Community Investment Adviser, Fiona Morrison, said: "SSE is a responsible community member and a responsible developer of renewable energy, and nowhere is this more visible than in the distribution of our community funds.

"To see so many deserving local groups and initiatives benefit from the Achany community fund is really satisfying. It means a great deal for an area of central Sutherland like this which has quite a fragile rural economy.

"Since it is local people themselves who are members of the wind farm's funding panel we know the allocation of grants could not be in better hands."

(JP/CD)