We’re excited to announce that we’re raising funds to deliver 10 community renewable energy projects across south east London – and we want you to be part of it. We’re seeking to raise £650,000; £250,000 through a community share offer, which will be followed by a bond issue of up to £500,000 (depending on how much we raise in the share offer). But what’s the difference between shares and bonds, and why are we doing both?
Why Two Different Fundraising Methods?
If we look at this as one complete funding package of up to £650,000, we simply can’t raise this entire amount through shares alone – we’ll need both shares and bonds to make our projects happen.
In a nutshell, shares will give you a stake in our organisation and a say in how it’s run, while bonds are essentially loans that we’ll repay with interest over time.
The projects: LEDs first, solar later
Our funding will deliver two types of projects:
- 4 LED lighting upgrade projects – scheduled for completion before Easter 2026
- 6 solar PV installations – to follow later in 2026
We’ve planned the LED projects to happen first because they’re simpler and quicker to complete. This helps us manage our capacity better and allows us to focus our technical expertise on the more complex solar installations afterwards.
Why we need share offer funds first
Here’s the crucial bit: we need at least £150,000 from the share offer to get started on those LED projects. The bond offer will take longer to complete, so share investments allow us to begin delivering energy savings and carbon reductions right away.
What returns can you expect?
Share investors will see returns that improve as we raise more money:
- At £150,000 raised: returns begin
- At £250,000 raised: 5.1% return
- At £300,000 raised: 5.4% return
Bond investors will receive a fixed return of 6% over 10 years, with their investment repaid gradually over that period.
Once we’ve raised that crucial first £150,000, every additional pound invested in shares earns the same 6% return as bonds – this might be particularly attractive for investors who’ve already used their ISA allowances.
Shares or bonds: which should you choose?
Shares give you:
- A voice: shareholders get voting rights on important decisions
- Priority access: share investors will get first opportunity to invest in the bond offer later
- Community ownership: you’re a part of our organisation
Bonds give you:
- Fixed returns: a reliable 6% over 10 years
- Predictability: you know exactly when and how much you’ll be repaid
The safety net effect
It’s important to remember that the more we raise through the share offer, the less we need to borrow through bonds. This means:
- Better cash flow to cover bond repayments
- More secure funding for all 10 projects
- Lower financial risk overall
A successful share offer makes the bond offer more attractive and more secure for everyone involved.
Why this matters
At the heart of this fundraising is our desire to deliver real energy savings and reduce carbon footprints in our community. We’ve carefully planned this funding approach to balance what’s financially viable with what’s practically deliverable – and to give our community the best opportunity to be part of the clean energy transition.
By investing in shares now, you’re not just getting financial returns – you’re helping us deliver these projects faster, securing better outcomes for everyone, and potentially gaining priority access to bond investments later.
Ready to invest?
Visit the Share offer page find out how you can become a shareholder and help power our community’s renewable energy future.