Solar panels have been installed on Chase Meadow Community Centre in Warwick with financial support from Warwick District Council.

Following a successful application for assistance, the community centre was awarded almost £16,000 from Warwick District Council's Rural and Urban Capital Improvements Scheme (RUCIS).

The scheme is an initiative set up to support locally led, not-for-profit community organisations with capital projects such as building repairs, new facilities, equipment or measures to improve energy efficiency.

Jo Whitten, Centre Manager at Chase Meadow Community Centre said: "We applied to RUCIS to help us install solar panels on the building.

"This was important to us from a sustainability perspective, both environmental and financial.

"Rising energy costs in recent years have been difficult to absorb, and large energy bills mean less available money for other things - like community support!

The application process is thorough, but the staff administering RUCIS are available for support and guidance throughout, and the great news is that on some days we are generating 100 percent of our own electricity, which should amount to significant savings which we can reinvest in our community."

Over the past eighteen months a number of other community buildings, sports clubs and community groups have been awarded RUCIS grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 towards improvement projects.

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These include, £19,196 to Central Ajax FC to build a covered standing area, install hardstanding around the pitch and the installation of a new kitchen, £8,553 to The Polish Centre to insulate internal walls and install a new kitchen, £5,349 to The Myton Hospice to replace fluorescent lighting with LED lighting and £20,000 to Racing Club Warwick FC to create a new changing block.

Cllr Jonathan Chilvers Portfolio Holder for Resources, commented: "Over the years the RUCIS scheme has gone from strength to strength, with many groups, charities, clubs and village halls successfully securing funding for schemes which have made a real difference to their local community.

"There is still funding available for project applications for the current financial year (to March 2026) and I would like to encourage not-for-profit groups located within the Warwick district to come forward with their projects as we may be able to help."

To learn more about the RUCIS scheme, visit here.