Any Ardentinny resident or group who are members of ART may apply for funding. Membership is free. Application forms can be downloaded below.
Ardentinny Renewables Trust Mid-2020 Newsletter
Board Member applications invited – Ardentinny Renewables Trust
Following its AGM, Ardentinny Renewables Trust (ART) has announced the resignation of ART founding member and Vice Chair, Rob Bray. Along with Dennis Gower of the then Ardentinny Community Council, Rob sowed the seed of Ardentinny’s interest in Hydro renewable projects with Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS). Subsequently FCS’ collaboration with Hydrover and local farmer, Ross MacArthur led to the establishment of three hydro projects in the village and the need for a Trust to manage and allocate the mandatory 5% of project revenue to the community.
ART held its AGM on 23 July at which it confirmed that it had granted a total of £4,835.33 in funds to date with a remaining balance in account of £6773.61. Any Ardentinny resident or local group can apply for funds for projects which will benefit the Ardentinny community. Applicants must be Trust members and membership is free.
A member of the public raised the question of what assurances were in place regarding the quality of projects carried out, citing the design and structural failings of the new notice board, as an example. The Chair stressed that it was outwith ART’s constitutional remit to become involved in the management of grant recipients’ projects. However, it was agreed to update the application form to include a reminder to applicants that this responsibility lies with them.
In the event of Board member Janette Reilly standing down, due to her leaving the village, Stuart Gray volunteered to replace her. This was unanimously agreed by the committee.
The current Board of Trustees comprises Dougie Menzies (Chair); Bill Tierney (Treasurer); Neil Robinson (Secretary); Kenneth Evans; and Jennifer McLundie.
Anyone interested in applying to replace Rob Bray must live in the Ardentinny Community Council district and not have been disqualified from being a charity trustee. They can request an application form from Neil Robinson, Secretary or via any of the other Board members. The power of appointment rests with the Board of Trustees.
Download ART Funding Application (.PDF)
Ardentinny Renewables Trust – Recent funding recipients
Ardentinny Renewables Trust (ART) has announced the latest successful funding applications as follows:
| Beneficiary | Purpose | Amount | |
| 2019 – July | Ardentinny Community Council | Replacement village noticeboard | £1,160.00 |
| Neil Robinson | Bees and equipment | £632.91 | |
| Ardentinny Community Trust | Glenfinart Walled Garden new tables and chairs | £589.72 | |
| Ardentinny Bowling Club | 2 – 1000L water tanks | £420.00 | |
| Ardentinny Heritage Group | Village centre planter and plants | £198.71 | |
| 2018 – Dec. | Ardentinny Community Trust | Glenfinart Walled Garden lawn mower | £585.00 |
| Ardentinny Bowling Club | Purchase of bowls gatherers | £376.00 | |
| Forestry Commission | 2 – benches sited along River Finart | £750.00 |
ART receives and manages the annual income to the community of the mandatory 5% of Feed-in Tariff (FIT) from the local hydro energy projects now underway in the village. The Trust then allocates these funds to local group and individual projects which they consider will be beneficial to the Ardentinny community.
Any Ardentinny resident or group who are members of ART may apply for funding (funding application form below). Membership is free and the application form can be downloaded below.
Download ART Funding Application
Ardentinny Renewables Trust – Funding Application Decisions
Ardentinny Renewables Trust met on the 20 August to discuss and decide on its first funding applications. Click here to download the Minutes.
Possibility of additional hydro projects in Ardentinny
Co-Hydrover Ltd. and Partners are studying the possibility of operating two additional hydro electric projects in Ardentinny, i.e., at the Coull Burn and Old School Burn, the latter being the burn beside the village car park and presumably so-called because of its proximity to the original Old School, i.e., Glencairn Cottage.
Regarding The Coull Burn Project, the contractor, Robert Brakes who was also representing his project partner Co-Hydrover, recently met with members of the Village Hall Committee along with Dougie Menzies, Chair of Ardentinny Renewables Trust. The object of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of erecting a pole on village hall land in exchange for a cheaper electricity tariff for the hall.
The turbine would be situated on Forestry Commission land, for which they will receive 20% of the project’s profits and the proposal is to connect to the grid by bringing an underground cable across the road and connecting it to a pole to be erected on village hall ground. In exchange, the hall will receive a reduced electricity tariff while the turbine is running, as will proprietors of other property through which the cable runs.