11th April 2016
Confirmation of £ for £ match funding from the Government for the Cumbria Flood Recovery Appeal sees the total funds raised reach £9.6m.
Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of the Foundation, said: “This is incredible news, we know Cumbria was hit by the largest flooding incident in living memory in December 2015, so this money is very much welcome.
“This is a truly remarkable achievement which has only been made possible by the generosity of thousands of people and businesses and charitable trusts backing the Appeal. On behalf of everyone at the Community Foundation we would like to offer our warmest thanks to everyone who has given money and organised fundraising events.”
The Appeal has already supported thousands of people through small and large grants to assist with repairs, loss of income, replacing goods, and rebuilding communities. The Foundation is encouraging people to continue to apply for funding.
More than £3.5m has been distributed across Cumbria with 2,300 households receiving financial support. Community organisations who have suffered flood damage or who are providing immediate relief to people, including longer term community rebuilding projects can also apply, and have so far benefited from more than half a million pounds.
Jackie and husband Phil from Cockermouth didn’t have insurance because their rented home had flooded twice before and pushed the excess amount beyond what was affordable.
Jackie cares for Phil who suffers with ME and Fibromyalgia and they live with their four children. The family received £6,000 to help them furnish their home.
Phil said: “I seriously cannot put into words how truly grateful we all are. To receive this amount of help is incredible and will make the transition of moving back home so much easier.”
Andy continues: “We know that flood recovery is a long term process and I’m delighted we’re in a position to continue to help people. Many people are not back in their homes and new and emerging needs are being identified as people work to rebuild homes and community facilities.”
This additional funding means the Foundation will be able to invest in future community resilience measures including topping up, where possible, support from the Government to help make people’s homes more flood resilient.
The Appeal has taken a three phased approach to funding:
1. Immediate support to help with the emergency response and clean-up work. Grants to households and grants to groups providing front line services.
2. Supplementary support to help those who continue to experience increased household expense. Individual grants for households whose income has been affected over a long term period and households who have incurred significant costs due to relocation resulting from the flood.
Grants to organisations who have suffered damage to their property, those providing emotional support and counselling and advice services.
3. Resilience support to help households and for community-led flood defence work.
The charity’s trustees are keeping the Appeal’s priorities and administration under constant review and an interim review of the Appeal is currently underway to ensure funds continue to be targeted at priority need.
“Sadly the scale of the impact means we are confident that we can spend this money effectively in support of addressing hardship and the long term recovery process, and we continue to welcome all new donations to the Appeal,” said Andy.