SSE Renewables and Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Ltd have awarded more than £240,000 to six transformational projects across the Scottish Borders to help communities recover from the coronavirus pandemic and respond to the climate emergency.

One recipient is the Borders Book Festival which is happening this week in Abbotsford. A £10,000 grant from the Sustainable Development Fund has helped the festival to operate safely including hiring additional staff and marquees to help achieve pandemic protocols. The hosting of this year's event is vital for the local industry after last year's activities had to be held online.

Welcoming the announcement, Paula Ogilvie, Borders Book Festival, said: "The support from Clyde Wind Farm has made all the difference to getting a truly dynamic and diverse festival back up and running after a difficult year. With funds for an added venue, we can safely deliver many more events across all age groups, give our children's events a creative boost with craft materials, and provide valuable paid work experience to local youngsters who may be looking for a career in event management. SSE Renewables, we cannot thank you enough."

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The hosting of COP26 in Glasgow highlights the growing climate emergency, and the Sustainable Development Fund has helped empower local communities to take action. Berwickshire Association for Voluntary Service received £35k to purchase an electric vehicle which will help to de-carbonise their vital community transport service. Eat, Sleep, Ride in Eyemouth have received £33.4k to ensure their new equestrienne centre can utilise solar electricity and harvest rainwater to meet the centre's needs.

Lord McConnell, Chair Of The Sustainable Development Fund, added: "Scotland is facing both a pandemic and a climate emergency and the Scottish Borders communities have shown they are taking action on both. We have ensured the funding from Clyde Wind Farm will help the local community to respond to these unprecedent challenges."

The Sustainable Development Fund is in addition to SSE Renewables and Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Ltd.'s local community funds and supports strategic projects in regions where SSE Renewables operates. The fund brings the benefits of SSE Renewables' energy developments to a wider area and is directed at projects that can achieve significant impacts in local communities.