A social enterprise in Settle, North Yorkshire which generates green electricity with all profits going to the community has won the Yorkshire and Humber regional prize in the prestigious Market Town Awards and will now go head-to-head with projects from seven other regions in the National Market Town Awards.

Settle Hydro Ltd is Yorkshire’s first community benefit hydro electricity company. It will produce about 150,000kw of clean green renewable energy per annum, sold into the national grid, producing a sustainable income. The scheme involved installing an Archimedes screw alongside an existing weir.

Funded by a mix of grants, an Industrial and Providence Society share issue, and a bank loan, Settle Hydro was started and is run by a team of dedicated and business-minded volunteers. It will produce an income for the Settle community for at least the next 50 years, and is proving a role model for other communities.

The judges commented that the project was very strong on community involvement, innovation and the viability of the funding package. They said it was a well conceived and well implemented project with community benefits.

Settle Hydro won the Partnership and Strategic Working Category in the regional Market Town Awards and was also the overall regional winner. The award was presented at a ceremony in Todmorden by the Mayor of Todmorden, Cllr Margareta Holmstedt.  They now go head-to-head with other regional winners to compete for the National Market Town Award at the Action for Market Towns Convention in Chippenham, Wiltshire on October 12.

Other winners were:

Environment and Culture Category – The Junction, Goole, East Yorkshire for a £3million  landmark community, arts and civic building to provide  a catalyst for the creation of jobs, training opportunities and the broader regeneration of Goole market and the town centre. The project was led by Goole Town Council.

Business and Economy Category – Slaithwaite Community Shop, West Yorkshire. This is a community-owned shop which was set-up when an existing greengrocer was about to go out of business. It was established as an Industrial and Provident Society and has raised over £25,000 in share capital from the local community.  The shop promotes local food, is thriving and continues to increase its sales and impact on the small town centre.

Social and Community Category – Hudswell Community Pub, North Yorkshire for establishing a co-operative to buy and operate the village pub, which had closed down with no prospect of a buyer. The George and Dragon will be run for the benefit of the residents of the village and of visitors to the area, providing services to the village and to visitors that will support other local businesses and tourism within Swaledale.  Most importantly it will put the heart back into the village and provide a place for social gatherings, cultural activities, a place to meet people, exchange information and it will promote a cohesive and friendly community in Hudswell.

The Yorkshire and Humber Market Town Awards are part of the National Market Town Awards which each year celebrate the great variety of volunteer-led projects which are helping to regenerate and sustain small towns throughout the country. The Awards are organised by Action for Market Towns, the national organization with over 400 towns in membership which supports the regeneration and vitality of small towns.

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For further press information on the market town awards, please contact: John Pole on 01430 441557. E-mail: john.pole@towns.org.uk

To contact Settle Hydro, ring Ann Harding on 01729 812155

To contact The Junction, Goole, ring Charlie Studdy on 01405 763652

To contact Slaithwaite Community Shop, ring Camilla Govan on 01484 844554

To contact Hudswell Community Pub ring Martin Booth on 07903 872635