The West of Orkney Windfarm has become the latest organisation to sponsor the International Island Games which will take place in Orkney in July next year.
The week-long island games will welcome over 2000 competitors and officials from 24 islands competing in 12 sports. It will be the largest multi-sport event in Europe in 2025.
The windfarm has stepped up to become a silver sponsor of the games, joining Orkney Builders, Sheila Fleet and Nirvana Europe who are also backing the event.
The West of Orkney Windfarm is currently developing a major offshore windfarm 30km west of the Orkney Mainland and 25km north of the Sutherland coast. It is a £multi-billion infrastructure scheme being developed by a joint venture comprising Corio Generation, TotalEnergies and Renewable Infrastructure Development Group (RIDG). It is scheduled to deliver first power in 2029 and will generate enough green electricity to power more than two million homes.
The sponsorship was announced by the windfarm’s Project Director Stuart McAuley who was on the islands for a series of meetings recently with organisations including the Orkney Harbours Authority, EMEC and the Orkney Island Games.
Stuart McAuley, Project Director, West of Orkney Windfarm, said:
“The West of Orkney Windfarm has an ambition to deliver a world-leading energy project which will create long term social and economic benefits for businesses and communities in the north of Scotland.
“This sponsorship underscores our commitment to Orkney and our belief that these islands offer a wealth of social, cultural, environmental and sporting attractions which can draw new visitors from around the world.
“We wish Orkney 2025 every success.”
Orkney 2025 Chairman, Gordon Deans said:
“Orkney 2025 will be largest event that the islands have ever hosted, and the 2025 International Island Games is a brilliant opportunity to promote Orkney as the perfect host and Scotland as the perfect stage.
“2025 is an important year as it will mark the 40th year since the games began and will be the 20th Games to take place, so we’re grateful to West of Orkney Windfarm and our other sponsors for their generous support.
“The logistics of delivering this event are very complex and any sponsorship support – whether they be monetary or in kind, with these associated costs are incredibly valuable to the games.”
In addition to the games sponsorship, the windfarm developers have kick-started a number of other initiatives in Caithness, Sutherland and Orkney including a £1 million research and innovation programme at EMEC, a £900,000 pan-industry programme to support ten new STEM coordinators across the UHI partnership, and £125,000 to enable up to seven local companies to take part in the rigorous 12-18 month Fit For Offshore Renewables (F4OR) development programme.
They have also initiated a local donations programme, offering support to organisations across the north of Scotland.
Further details can be found here: www.westoforkney.com/communities
To find out more about the Orkney 2025 International Island Games, visit www.orkney2025.com