Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy (WWCE) Ltd, one of the county’s most prominent not-for-profit solar energy groups, has announced an exciting investment opportunity, its first in nearly a decade. The project aims to raise £500,000 to install over 1,000 solar panels at Silverwood School’s Rowde campus, near Devizes, which serves young people aged 4 to 19 with special educational needs.
The school has recently undergone a £38 million redevelopment, funded by Wiltshire Council, to create a state-of-the-art, net-zero building. The installation of 1,087 solar panels will power the school with clean energy, and any surplus will be fed back into the local grid, benefitting the wider community.
This project isn’t just about renewable energy, however. WWCE has also committed to creating a £5,000 annual income through its charitable fund, which will be used to promote biodiversity and environmental education at Silverwood School. The fund will be managed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, ensuring that students benefit from hands-on learning opportunities about nature and sustainability.
Julian Barlow, Chair of WWCE and Trustee of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, expressed his enthusiasm for the scheme, saying: “This is a really exciting project, working with such an important educational asset in Wiltshire alongside WWT. This scheme will generate funding for initiatives that support nature’s recovery while enriching the education and wellbeing of the students at Silverwood School. By investing in this opportunity, local people can help us achieve our key aims of restoring wildlife as well as reducing carbon in Wiltshire, a fantastic legacy for us and the Silverwood School community.”
Sean McKeown, Executive Headteacher at Silverwood School, highlighted the benefits for the school and its students, stating: “Through this partnership with WWCE and with the support of WWT members and other stakeholders, we’ll receive a supply of clean solar electricity from the panels installed on our fantastic new centre for SEND education, benefiting from long-term agreements which protect us from future energy market volatility. In addition, the project will generate funds for ecological initiatives which enhance our educational offering and will be delivered with our project partners.”
WWCE has already kickstarted the fundraising effort by investing £121,000 but now seeks public support to raise an additional £500,000. The community energy group is calling on local residents and supporters to get involved through Ethex Crowdfunding or the WWCE website.
This initiative presents a unique opportunity for individuals to not only support clean energy and carbon reduction but also invest in the future of local young people and the environment.
*Returns are not guaranteed and capital is at risk. Before deciding whether to invest please read the share offer document in full and seek independent advice if you are not sure.
