National Grid community grant helps football club in Gwynedd tackle safety

The football club’s main playing area has a ditch running along its length, to manage water runoff during high rainfall. However, members of the club have become concerned about players from the junior section becoming exposed to its risks during winter periods and so started looking into plans to install new fencing to improve safety at the ground.

National Grid is about to start construction of the Snowdonia Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project, which aims to reduce the visual impact of its overhead line across the Dwyryd Estuary from Penrhyndeudraeth to Cilfor. Its Community Grant Programme is aimed at supporting community organisations and charities in areas where its work is impacting on local people through operations and site activities.

After submitting a successful application, the funding was confirmed this month and will be used to erect almost 250m of new double wire panel fence.

...we aim to support organisations and causes that make a real difference to the communities we work in.

Steve Ellison, National Grid senior project manager for Snowdonia VIP, said: “Through the Community Grant Programme, we aim to support organisations and causes that make a real difference to the communities we work in. Penrhyndeudraeth FC is a cornerstone of the local area which brings people together to exercise and enjoy themselves. I look forward to seeing its players and spectators benefit from this funding.”

Barry Evans, Penrhyndeudraeth FC committee member, said: “The safety of all who visit the ground is paramount. This grant from National Grid’s Community Programme means we can look after our players across all of our age groups including our junior and senior teams, while continuing to offer playing opportunities for the local community, increase growth in participation and develop knowledge and skills.”

Find more information about National Grid’s Community Grant Programme – including eligibility criteria and how to apply.

More information about the Snowdonia VIP project
 

Aerial view of Penrhyndeudraeth FC’s football pitches

Hero image, left to right: Barry Evans, Penrhyndeudraeth FC manager; Steve Ellison, National Grid senior project manager for the Snowdonia Visual Impact Provision project.

 

Contact for media information only:
Helen Blake
07790 824788

Notes to Editors:
About the Community Grant Programme
The Community Grant Programme is aimed at community organisations and charities in areas where National Grid’s work is impacting local people. We fund projects run by charities and community groups that meet local community needs by providing a range of social, economic and environmental benefits. If you have a project that meets our criteria, then you could apply for a grant of up to £20,000. If you’d like to learn more about the Community Grant Programme, then please visit National Grid’s website: https://www.nationalgrid.com/responsibility/community/community-grant-programme

About Visual Impact Provision 
All electricity transmission owners are funded by a price control mechanism which is agreed with and set by Ofgem, the electricity and gas markets regulator. Ofgem is in the process of agreeing a set of price controls and incentives for the period from April 2021 to March 2026. The new price controls and incentives include a provision to mitigate the visual impact of existing electricity infrastructure in nationally protected landscapes in Great Britain.

For National Grid Electricity Transmission, which is the electricity transmission owner in England and Wales, this means considering the visual amenity of our existing infrastructure in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).