AMMANFORD community groups are urged to grab a share of thousands of pounds worth of funding now available.

Charities and community organisations from across the Ammanford and Amman Valley area are being urged to ask for help from the Mynydd y Betws Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund as the fourth round of funding is announced.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Community Bureau is inviting applications from community, voluntary and third sector organisations as well as registered charities and town and community councils for the 2016/17 round of the fund.

They can apply for funding for new and innovative community projects which address local need under the areas of recreation, education, health, environment, energy efficiency/sustainability and culture.

Funded by wind farm developer ESB (Electricity Supply Board), money is available for projects being delivered in the following wards: Ammanford, Betws, Garnant, Glanamman, Llandybie, Pontamman, Penygroes, Saron, Tycroes and Quarter Bach.

Over the last three years the Grant Panel has awarded approximately £850,000 to over 50 community regeneration projects in the Amman area- the total investment is an impressive £2.4 million.

One of the projects to recently benefit from the Fund was the £110,000 multi-use games area (MUGA) in Garnant, which received a grant of £10,000.

Located on common land to the east of Ammanford, the Mynydd y Betws Wind Farm has been operational since 2013.

Producing enough electricity annually to power on average 23,800 households and saving over 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over the lifetime of the project, the output from Mynydd y Betws is equivalent to almost one third of the domestic consumption in Carmarthenshire.

Fund Chairman Cllr Glynog Davies said: “The Community Benefit Fund gives support to a range of community projects. Many of these would find it hard to come by alternative grants at a difficult time for public finances.

“I would urge local organisations to put in applications for help from the Fund.”

For further information and to register your application, please contact the Community Bureau on 01269 590216 or e-mail communitybureau@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is April 29.