The Chipping Community Energy working group
Paul Hunt
Member of Chipping Parish Council, living in the village since 2005. Voluntary Coordinator of the Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) fibre internet project in the Chipping area.
Paul Smith
A land agent by profession and resident of Thornley for last 30 years, who has been a Trustee of the Brabin's Trust since 1996. Current Chair of the Chipping Community Land Trust.
Martin Hawkins
Secretary of the Chipping Community Land Trust, acquainted with the village since 1964 and permanent resident since 2005. A member of the working group on the Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) fibre internet project in the Chipping area and former Trustee of the Brabin's Trust.
Kelvin Whiteside
Kelvin and his wife have lived in Thornley, and now the Longridge Road area, for over 25 years. Kelvin has supported a number of young people focused activities in Chipping, including over 12 years with the Chipping Scout Group and in school governor roles with Brabin's Endowed Primary School.
Simon Hore
Living in the area for over 30 years Simon has been the elected councillor for the Chipping Ward on Ribble Valley Borough Council since 2007. Simon has also been an active involvement in Chipping and District Memorial Hall since it opened in 1999, being its Honorary Treasurer for 15 years until 2021.
Keith Case
Recently retired after a long career in the nuclear, utility and health sectors, Keith has extensive experience as a Chartered Engineer and Commercial Director. He is very interested in the transition to renewable energy and with first-hand experience of ground source heating systems is looking forward to contributing to this community project.
Chipping Parish Council
Chipping Parish Council formally represent the local parish community on various matters.
If you would like to find out more about the Chipping Parish Council, click here.
Chipping CLT
Set up by the Brabin’s Trust in 2013, CCLT works within the same three parishes of Thornley-with-Wheatley, Chipping and Bowland-with-Leagram but has much wider objects than the Brabin’s Trust. Subject to having access to available funds, CCLT is potentially able to provide housing for local people in need, help with education, training & employment, provide recreation and social welfare facilities, improve public facilities and protect the local environment. The CCLT’s trustees are drawn from representatives of those three Parish Councils, the Brabin’s Trust as well as the wider community.
In 2013 CCLT helped develop the seven affordable dwellings built on land adjacent to the site of the old village hall. More recently it bought four bungalows on Wolfs Fell Close for occupation by elderly local people, which it rents out to those most in need. Much of its income currently goes towards financing that purchase, which was assisted by a grant from Ribble Valley Borough Council. Those bungalows, as well as the rest of the Fellside development, benefit from heating from air source heat pumps.
Project Supporters
The working group has also been supported by the following project supporters, who have been instrumental in progressing the project to this stage.
The Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF)
The Rural Community Energy Fund is a programme to support rural communities to maximise the business case for renewable energy generation in their locality. It is a £10-million grant scheme jointly funded by government departments DEFRA and BEIS and delivered by the regional Net Zero Hubs across England. The five regional Net Zero Hubs have shared objectives, which are:
- Increase number, quality and scale of local energy projects being delivered
- Raise local awareness of opportunity for and benefits of local energy investment
- Enable local areas to attract private and/or public finance for energy projects
Local Energy – North West Net Zero Hub
Local Energy – North West Net Zero Hub who has provided invaluable technical and practical support in helping to secure and manage the grants and to progress the project generally.
Lancashire County Council
