The Severn Trent Community Fund has donated £10,000 to Shropshire-based charity, The Albrighton Trust.

The Trust offers educational and recreational activities for people with physical or learning disabilities, or ill health, providing positive outdoor activities, including angling from wheelchair-accessible fishing platforms, horticulture, woodcraft and conservation and wildlife.

The charity focuses on sustainability, using harvested rainwater to fill its fishing moat, large water butts around the site used to water gardens and plants, and a 1,000-litre water tank to top-up ornamental ponds in its sensory garden.

The funding – which is being matched by the Trust from its own cash reserves – will be used to install additional solar panels on the roof of its training and resource space.

Sandie Jackson, Project Coordinator at Albrighton Trust, said: “We already have some solar panels that feed into a FIT metre and these new, more powerful panels will help to offset soaring energy costs and help us to remain focused on providing services to our users.

“We appreciate the generosity of individuals and organisations who help us provide the services we do and this funding is a crucial step forward for us.”

Jade Gough, Community Fund Officer at Severn Trent, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that our panel selected the Albrighton Trust to receive support from the Community Fund. They provide a really fantastic service to the community, and we love their focus on sustainability.

“Funding is still available and we would encourage any other community-based charitable organisations in Shropshire to apply if they feel they would benefit from the Community Fund.”

For more information on the Severn Trent Community Fund and to find out how to make an application visit stwater.co.uk and search for Community Fund.