A £300,000 energy fund to help vulnerable residents in Dalry heat their homes has opened for applications.

The partnership between Community Windpower and Dalry Parish Boundary Trust, administered by Advice Direct Scotland is open to anyone in the Ayrshire town struggling with their bills.

Grants are available to assist vulnerable households, with the fund supported directly from Community Windpower’s onshore wind farm in North Ayrshire.

John Smith, secretary of Dalry Boundary Parish Trust, explained just how hard the group has worked to make this all possible.

He said: “Since Robert Barr, our chairman, set up the Dalry Parish Boundary Trust in August 2014, we have supported numerous organisations, schools, youth and sports organisations as well as individuals and during covid, supported charities who had been of help to Dalry residents.

“When the energy and food crisis raised its head, we decided to look at what and who we could help.

“Given that we had previously helped a wide range of the population we decided that with around eight hundred pensioner households we should include them as well as households on low incomes with children and households with severe illness or disabilities.

“We have worked continuously since August on trying to set up the energy fund and are grateful to Kenneth Gibson MSP and Community Windpower for their help us being able to take it forward with Advice Direct Scotland, who are undertaking the administration of the fund on behalf of the Trust.”

Applications can be made by individuals through the fund website at communityadvice.scot.

The fund is open to those living in the KA24 postcodes in Dalry, and grants and eligibility will depend on individual circumstances.

There will be a focus on households with children living in poverty, people living with cancer, those in receipt of a disability benefit, pensioners, and households which use a large amount of energy to power medical equipment.

It follows a similar partnership in East Lothian, where over 1,400 households have received grants to help with soaring energy costs.

And Rob Fryer, director of civils and business development for Community Windpower, is delighted to see the initiative rolled out.

He said: “Following the amazing success of our East Lothian Energy Fund, where £1m helped over 1,400 vulnerable families and individuals in the region, it is great to see a similar initiative supporting the more focused area of Dalry, North Ayrshire.

“This really reinforces that local renewable energy projects do make a meaningful difference to their host communities and are seen as a valuable asset by many locals.

“We have worked alongside Dalry Parish Boundary Trust and Advice Direct Scotland to deliver this fund, which will be a great success.

“Our community offering throughout Scotland has now reached over £8m which is simply staggering.”

National advice charity Advice Direct Scotland, which also delivers the Scottish Government’s Home Heating Support Fund, will make payments for electricity usage by issuing PayPoint or Post Office vouchers, or money will be sent directly to suppliers for  those with credit meters.

The fund is not for historical debt, and will run until funds are exhausted.

It is over and above all existing national support available.

Pamela Stewart, deputy chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, says this will assist in helping those most in need.

She explaned: “The funding support offered is invaluable in helping people within the Dalry area, especially those who are vulnerable.

“This is particularly important for those with disabilities or medical conditions that make reliance on medical equipment an expensive necessity.

“We are proud to be administering this second fund in partnership with Community Windpower and our new partners at the Dalry Parish Boundary Trust.”

Full details are available at communityadvice.scot.