ORGANISERS behind the sheep industry’s leading trade event are celebrating securing valuable sponsorship from Scottish wind energy specialists.
Scotland’s biennial national sheep event, ‘Scotsheep’ is to benefit from a welcome financial boost thanks to Banks Renewables.
The company has been named as one of the sponsors of the event on Wednesday, June 4, at Quixwood Farm near Grantshouse in the Scottish Borders – the same site where it has been given permission to build its Quixwood Moor Wind Farm.
The sponsorship deal reflects the Banks Renewables’ approach of providing and supporting rural opportunities near to its developments.
Those include the 13 turbine Quixwood Moor site, which was approved by Scottish Borders Council in April 2013, and the proposed 15 turbine Birneyknowe Wind Farm between Hawick and Bonchester Bridge which has recently been submitted to the Scottish Government for approval.
Scotsheep chair, David Leggat, said: “We’re delighted to have received such generous support from Banks Renewables. It’s hugely important for us to secure sponsorship as the event continues to grow in size and popularity each year.
“Without companies like Banks Renewables we simply would not be in a position to host such a large scale event which is so vital to the agricultural industry.
“It’s set to be a first-class day of interest to sheep farmers and everyone in the supply chain and we would like to thank Banks Renewables for its support, helping us to achieve a more sustainable and prosperous sheep industry in Scotland.”
The event will be opened by His Grace The Duke of Montrose and will feature 200 trade stands including 42 exhibits by sheep breed societies and individual breeders. There will also be a seminar programme featuring top industry experts who will discuss CAP reform, animal health and increasing the consumption of Scotch lamb.
In addition, Scotland’s Rural College will display a major feature on grassland management and soil health with other demonstrations being held on the topics of fencing, sheep dressing, wool spinning and crook making.
Committed to rural communities
Phil Dyke, development director at Banks Renewables, said: “Having worked closely with the rural communities in the Scottish Borders through our work developing our two wind farm sites we understand the importance of this event to local farmers and are keen to make sure it is a great success.
“It is vital that our work to achieve clean green energy through the development of our wind farms simultaneously helps the local communities surrounding our sites so we are committed to supporting local farmers in whatever way we can.
“In addition to sponsoring the Scotsheep event, members of our team will also be there throughout the day to discuss our proposed Birneyknowe Wind Farm with members of the local agricultural community.
“We hope that this will provide farmers with the opportunity to discuss our plans and to find out more about the many community benefits the site could yield and how this could help them, should it be approved.”
Following extensive consultation with Scottish Borders Council, local residents and businesses, the Birneyknowe scheme will generate up to 60MW of clean, green energy. Banks Renewables have developed a bespoke community benefits package as part of the proposals, tailored specifically to meet the needs of the local community.
This includes injecting money into a training initiative designed to help local people into work which could generate up to £300,000-a-year for the local area as well as a variety of opportunities for community groups to apply for funding.
Visit http://www.banksgroup.co.uk/birneyknowe/ to find out more about the proposed Birneyknowe Wind Farm. You can also show your support for the proposal on the website, by clicking the ‘Support this Project’ button.
Banks Renewables is part of the Banks Group (www.banksgroup.co.uk), a family firm founded in 1976, which now employs more than 420 people in the renewable energy, property and mining sectors.
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