In 2011 Friends of the Earth Rutland offered the Wing Village Hall solar panels for Free.

There was initially some resistance from a few members of the Hall committee because of worries about damage to the roof structure. These were eventually overcome as it became obvious to the members with a longer view that it was an offer too good to be turned down.

Gabrielle Maughan, who at that time was a resident of Wing and an active member of the Parish Council and also Chairman of Friends of the Earth took a lot of trouble to ensure that funding was raised from various sources so that the hall received this magnificent gift that cost  £13,000! Till now the hall has been getting cheap electricity but the bulk of the savings, in the form of the feed in tariff, have been going to pay off the initial costs.

Few people are aware of this generous gesture which I feel is rather sad.

However, this year the £13,000 installation costs has been repaid to Friends of the Earth and Cory, and the Solar Panels will now be giving ALL their feed in tariff, about 45p per kW hour, to the Village Hall funds. This should amount to about £1000 a year and as the original contract was for 25 years the hall funds should be getting a little help from its friends for a few more years yet.

I have thanked Gabrielle on my own account and I believe the village in general would also like Gabrielle to know we are very grateful.