SSEN provides boost for community resilience in the North East

Resilience plans for communities across the North-East have received a major boost, following SSEN Distribution’s £1.35m award of funding to the region’s three local authorities.

From left: Barry Skinner, Aberdeen City Council; Jacqui McKenzie, Aberdeen City Council; Mark MacDonald, SSEN; Mary Beattiue, Aberdeenshire Council; Susan Donald, Aberdeenshire Council; Vicky Morris, Aberdeenshire Council; Graeme Keddie, Director of Corporate Affairs, SSEN; Shona Horn, SSEN and Ross Ferguson, Moray Council. (Photo: ©Stuart Nicol Photography)

The funding recognises the major impact of the winter storms of 2021-22, particularly Storm Arwen, and the important role that community-led resilience activity can play in responding to emergencies such as extended power loss.

The award being made to each local authority reflects the level of impact felt across each region following the storms, with Aberdeenshire Council receiving £1million, Moray Council £200,000 and Aberdeen City Council £125,000.

To secure the funding, each local authority worked with SSEN to create a comprehensive community-led resilience programme, outlining the projects and initiatives that would most benefit from financial support. While the focus was on community, household and personal resilience projects, specific emphasis was placed on supporting the most vulnerable across each community.

As part of its award, Aberdeenshire Council will purchase 100 battery generator packs for individuals to use in their homes, as well as 86 packs to be deployed across their Sheltered and Very Sheltered Housing complexes – these would allow the most vulnerable members of the community to remain in their own surroundings during a power outage, supporting their independent living. They will also run a Community Resilience conference where local groups can get together share ideas, best practice and enhance their resilience planning to reduce vulnerability in local communities.

Graeme Keddie, Director of Corporate Affairs at SSEN Distribution, said: “The unprecedented impacts of Storm Arwen will live long in the memory of both those in the North-East and our dedicated teams who were involved in the significant power restoration and recovery effort.

“As we saw during Storm Arwen, resilience efforts are most impactful when they are community-led. We are therefore delighted to have collaborated with local authorities and wider community to design this innovative programme which will help to empower communities and make a real difference to the resilience of individuals and families up and down the region.”

Cllr Mark Findlater, Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, said: “I would like to thank SSEN for its generous financial support which will allow us to continue providing and enhancing individual, household, family and community resilience in an emergency situation with special emphasis on supporting those who are vulnerable.

“We know just how resilient our communities have proven to be, particularly with regards to recent weather-related events. However, this funding from SSEN will enable us to provide additional support on the ground where and when it is needed. That might be through the provision of equipment such as wind up torches and radios, or the issuing of battery generator packs to support the most vulnerable individuals who need to use power reliant medical equipment within their own property during a power outage.”