Cyd Ynni (National Trust Wales initiated and supported network) wins the Community Energy Award 2016!

From Keith Jones

Collaboraton Award 2016

Last night in Oxford the National Trust Wales initiated and supported network “Cyd Ynni” was honoured by being awarded the collaboration award. Big thanks go to Grant Peisley at DEG for putting the network forward but the biggest thanks go to the 5 founding community companies of Cyd Ynni who are driving good things forward. The evening was organised by both Community Energy Wales and Community Energy England. We had some awe-inspiring community groups who ranged from the tens of millions of pounds down to a solar panel on a community centre. I was really surprised that we had won but also confident that what we have started in NW Wales will continue to grow. I was there with fellow director of Anafon Hydro, Hywel as we also won the only commendation of the evening for the Anafon community hydro. This was topped off with our friends Awel Aman Tawe who won best project for their bloody mindedness in making their community wind turbines now a reality (18 years in the making). As I have explained in earlier blogs Cyd Ynni is about delivering for all by grouping our skills, opportunities and ambitions into local employment, cost savings, accessing funding and multipliers in marketing and fundraising to deliver for each community group. From local energy supply to combined share offers, our second stage BIG lottery bid goes in a couple of weeks and the list goes on. I know I will forget someone but thanks for a successful first year go to.

Energy Local, Welsh Government, Arloisi Gwynedd, Mantell Gwynedd, Welsh Cooperative Centre, Datblygu Egni Gwledig, Community Energy Wales, Partneriaeth Ogwen, Scottish Power, The Green Valleys, Ynni Lleol, Coop Energy and the National Trust!

Founders – Ynni Anafon, Moelyci, Ynni Padarn Peris, Coedtir Mynydd, Ynni Ogwen

The world is full of people who say ‘don’t do this and that because it might… but I like working with people who say go for it. Measure a hundred times and then if you’re confident ‘do it’ Don’t listen to the naysayers or nothing will improve.

I did have a wry smile when leaving the awards as i had not realised we were in the Lady Thatcher business suit… ‘there is no such thing as society’ (to be fair the speech does go on to say that we have an obligation to help our neighbours) but it made me smile as I left the community awards!