Hitchin's much-loved Benslow Music has been awarded £14,059 to support the installation of new electric vehicle (EV) charging points at its Benslow Lane site.

The project will see two EV chargers installed in the centre's car park, helping visiting musicians, students and staff make more sustainable journeys.

Many visitors to Benslow Music travel long distances to attend residential courses, workshops and concerts. The new chargers will enable them to make the journey in electric vehicles, cutting emissions and supporting the organisation's environmental commitments.

Initially, the charge points will be available to Benslow Music visitors and staff, before being extended to those working at nearby Pinehill Hospital, St Andrew's School and Benslow Nursing Home.

After a one-year trial, the plan is to open the chargers to local residents — providing a welcome boost to Hitchin's EV infrastructure, which currently has just 22 publicly available charge points.

The charging points will also monitor usage, helping the centre track reductions in CO₂ emissions and inform future sustainability initiatives.

Benslow Music Trust is contributing £740 (5% of the total project cost, including VAT) towards the installation.

The funding forms part of local efforts to expand greener transport options across North Hertfordshire and make the town a more sustainable place to live and work.

Benslow Music campus welcomes musicians throughout the year for around 150 residential music education courses, 30 concerts and hundreds of young musicians borrowing instruments from the Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme annually.  

"We're delighted to receive this support from North Hertfordshire District Council," said Michael Duffy, Chief Executive. "Our programmes bring over 3,000 people together annually and we're aware of the need to encourage sustainable travel options. Thanks to this grant, we can make real progress toward a more environmentally friendly campus and enable those who come to Benslow Music to make greener choices."

In a statement Benslow Music explained "we're taking an important step toward a greener future for our organisation with the installation of two electric vehicle (EV) charging points on our campus. The initiative has been made possible through a Sustainable Communities Grant from North Hertfordshire District Council, supporting our ambition to reduce its environmental impact and promote more sustainable travel. The new chargers will initially be available to our staff, visitors, and local organisations that use Benslow Music's 40-vehicle parking facilities. We plan to monitor usage over the coming year and explore expanding facilities or access for wider use if demand grows".