£90,000 awarded to West Cumbrian causes

16th November 2017

Local causes across West Cumbria have been awarded around £90,000 thanks to funds administered by Cumbria Community Foundation.

21 community groups and 19 young people have received a share of the funds awarded at the recent grants panel. The money will support a wide range of projects including theatre workshops for children, advice for people with disabilities, improvements to community facilities and travel costs associated to school trips via the Mary Grave Trust.

Some of the funds that have supported the projects include the Broughton Moor Wind Farm Fund, the Quarry Hill Grassroots Fund and the Live the Dream Fund.

More than a hundred carers will be offered the support they need thanks to £3,000 awarded to the West Cumbria Carers. The grant from the Older Peoples Fund means that staff at the Carers Clinic, based at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, can continue to provide emotional and practical support to carers of those who have been admitted to hospital. The clinic will also help carers take care of themselves, making sure they maintain their own mental and physical wellbeing, and providing them with an essential support network.

Clare Edwards, Project and Funding Development Manager, West Cumbria Carers said: ‘This grant will enable us to continue to run a much needed support service for carers at West Cumberland Hospital. Carers need lots of support when their loved ones get close to discharge from hospital. We help carers to understand their rights, to get their voice heard and provide them with time and space to talk about their own concerns about the discharge. Providing support at this time means carers can build a support network which can help to prevent their loved one being admitted again.’

Children in West Cumbria are growing in confidence and learning new socials skills with the help of speech and drama. Cumbria Theatre Trust received £4,000 from the Lamont Pridmore Grassroots Fund and Solway Fund to provide 20 workshops to local schools including Northside Primary School, Victoria Junior School and St. Herbert’s Church of England Primary and Nursery School. By exploring the world of The Secret Garden, written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and attending the performance this Christmas at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, the children will improve their reading and writing skills and gain confidence through participating in group drama activities. 

Cath Gaskell, a teacher at St. Herbert’s Church of England Primary and Nursery School said: “We have seen children grow and blossom as they become absorbed by the magic of theatre.”

James Cobbold, Administrative Director, Theatre by the Lake said: “We are committed to enabling children and young people to experience and engage with the arts, and particularly live theatre.  The funding we have received through Cumbria Community Foundation will enable us to broaden the impact and reach of our workshop activities with schools across North and West Cumbria in response to our Christmas production, The Secret Garden.”

Annalee Holliday, Grants & Donor Services Officer at the Foundation, said: “Our grants are vital in helping people in West Cumbria, and we are ever grateful for the continued support of all our fundholders.”

The closing date for the next round of applications is Friday 15th December 2017 to be reviewed by the panel on Wednesday 10th January 2018. For more information or to apply see out grants page or contact the grants team on 01900 825760.

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