South Shields students awarded £5k scholarship grant from Dogger Bank Wind Farm

Former Bedford School pupil Ethan Ofosu is studying forensic and analytical chemistry at the University of Strathclyde.

He will now benefit from a £5,000 grant from the scholarship.

The fund provides awards to local students undertaking science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) courses in further education.

Ethan said: ”Having gained this scholarship is a great opportunity for me as it helps reduce some of the financial burden and stress that going to university can have on me.

"It also shows that there are local businesses that are willing to support young people like me in the community. When I got the scholarship, it made my mam happy as well, so that was a nice feeling.”

The recently awarded grants are part of the second round of the fund, with 50 scholarships awarded to date and a total of 62 available during the construction of the wind farm.

The fund focuses on the areas where the windfarm will connect to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside, where the Operation and Maintenance Base will be located.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be located more than 130km off the Yorkshire coast and will generate enough renewable energy to power six million UK homes.

A joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn, SSE Renewables is leading on Dogger Bank construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion.

Lindsay Dougan, Community Investment Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: “Dogger Bank Wind Farm is delighted to have the opportunity to support excellent students with scholarships. It’s also great to see local people are undertaking courses which support the reduction in local skills gaps particularly around engineering. We are proud to support the workforce of the future through this scholarship initiative.”

In June 2021, Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveiled plans for the £1million construction fund to support the coastal communities where its onshore infrastructure is being developed.

Students are reminded the scheme will reopen to new applicants in Summer 2023. Further details and how to apply next year can be found at https://doggerbank.com/about/community/