AGR Power’s Partnership with We Love MCR Charity

As part of this agreement, AGR will support two strands of the charity’s impactful work:

– The Rising Stars: This initiative help sambitious young people across Manchester overcome barriers to achieve thei rfull potential. AGR’s contributions will support at least five Young People per year through direct financial support and tailored assistance, enabling access to education, training, and vital development opportunities.

– The Stronger Communities: This programme provides grants to groups working to improve local neighbourhoods and build resilient communities. AGR will fund eight grants per year, helping to empower local people to create lasting positive change in their areas.

This partnership forms part of a wider commitment as part of AGR’s social value benefits agreed with Manchester City Council. The contributions are looking to commence from September 2025, which are aligned with the operational launch of the vPPA.

To mark the beginning of this partnership, AGR and WLMC are planning a launch event, to highlight the positive community impact expected from this collaboration.

The agreement follows AGR’s broader development of a new 97.3-hectare solar farm at Bicker Fen, Lincolnshire, which will supply Manchester City Council with up to 35GWh of renewable electricity annually as part of its journey to net-zero by 2038.

-Founded in 2011, AGR is 50% owned by Railpen, one of the largest UK pension funds.

-AGR is a leading UK renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure developer specialising in grid-scale solar, energy storage, onshore wind, digital infrastructure, and sustainable greenhouse technologies.

-Since inception the company has delivered over 55 projects totalling over 1.1GW of renewable energy connections across United Kingdom.

-Together with Railpen, the company is targeting to deliver 500MW of operational solar assets and over 1GWh in battery storage technologies by 2027.

-As part of the landmark Power Purchase Agreement signed in 2024, AGR’s Bicker Fen Solar Park will supply Manchester City Council with 35,000 MWh of clean,     renewable energy for 15 years. The PPA is one of the UK’s first public-private clean energy agreements and contributes significantly toward Manchester’s carbon neutral goal.

We Love Manchester Charity are the city of Manchester’s charity. Established by Trust Deed in 1996 and registered with the Charity Commission in December 1997. They are a registered charity (number 1066972) legally known as “The Lord Mayor of Manchester’s Charity Appeal Trust”, though which they carry out activities as “We Love MCR Charity”.

They are a grant awarding charity that empowers positive change for communities and young people across the city of Manchester. The charity awards financial grants to help people improve their lives, communities and spaces. The charity exists to challenge inequality, invest in positive futures and see the people of Manchester flourish.

Their work is carried out by a core team of three paid staff and is governed by a trustee board of 11 people, who always include the current Lord Mayor. All staff are employed by Manchester City Council.