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Cumbrian causes receive more than £45,000.

Charitable causes across Cumbria benefiting a number of issues including culture and heritage and health and wellbeing have received a share of £46,531.

Cumbria Community Foundation awarded the money to more than 20 charitable groups at its Main Grants Panel, which takes place approximately every 10 weeks. Funding was also given to 12 individuals, 6 of which were educational course costs.

The money came from 20 grant making funds, including those set up by Westmorland Ltd, CN Group and the Cumbria Victims Charitable Trust.

Manna House in Kendal received £1,000 from the Fryer Grassroots Fund and the High Sheriff’s Crimebeat Fund. The grant will help ex-offenders stay out of prison by encouraging them to volunteer and work on a community garden.

The charity’s Prison Outreach Programme (POP) supports clients from across South Lakeland during their time in prison, through the transition period of release and when they return to the community. The focus of this transition period will be a garden project where ex-offenders who are also care leavers will find meaningful and therapeutic activity.

Says Andrea Aldridge, Chief Officer of Manna House, “We are really excited at Manna House to get our ex-offender garden project off the ground.  We are delighted with our new premises on Ann Street and are looking forward to our new partnership with our old friends at Growing Well, who will help us design and create our Memorial Garden as a tribute to loved ones we have lost. Gardening is a great way to engage our clients who are homeless or vulnerably housed and this grant will ensure we get the horticulture right, as well as give our guys a progression into more committed volunteering and learning.”

Cumbria Law Centre, a community-based charity and a fully accredited legal practice, received £6,999 from the Abbeyfield Carlisle Society Over 55 Community First Fund, the Older People’s Fund and the Janetta Topsy Laidlaw Trust Fund.

Pete Moran, Head of Centre said: “We never charge a client for our services. This funding will provide support to over-55s who have problems in areas relating to debt, welfare benefits, housing and employment. In particular, we are interested in the complications that can come from changes to the Welfare Benefits system, not least of which is the roll-out of Universal Credit. We are aware that older members of our community are more likely to struggle with online application and benefit management systems. They are also more likely have complicated circumstances involving disability and sickness benefits and, for example, Carer’s Allowance.

“Our goal is to ensure that those people who come to us have safe, sustainable accommodation and a decent, dependable income.”

Eden Mencap Society received £7,244 from the Brian & Ann Clark Fund towards the development of a new accessible bathroom.

Paul Stephens, Day Services Team Manager, said: “We are all very excited to have received the grant, it was the final funding we needed to get started with the accessible bathroom, the work will start at the end of February.

We have a number of people that access our day services who currently can only stay for a maximum of 3 hours as they use wheelchairs and have to go home to use hoist facilities, this new bath room with overhead hoist will allow them to stay all day.”

Tullie House Museum in Carlisle received £856 from the Abbeyfield Carlisle Society Over 55 Community First Fund to provide a green space for the community to enjoy, learn new skills and enhance wellbeing as part of the Secret Garden project.

Anna Smalley, Head of Collections & Engagement, said: “The Secret Garden is a safe, accessible community garden funded by the Postcode Local Trust and designed and created by a huge range of community partners including TCV, Unity, Carlisle Mencap, Cumbria Youth Services, and many local businesses who volunteered staff time to support the project. Throughout this spring and summer we will be running a series of drop-in gardening clubs for families, community groups and adults living with dementia and their carers, and providing access to this inspirational space for NHS groups.”

Ellen Clements, Grants & Donor Services Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “There are many worthy organisations around the county that continue to provide help to the local communities. We are ever grateful to the generosity of our fund holders to enable us to support these vital services.”

The closing date for the next main grants panel is 2nd April 2019. For more information, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org or call a member of the grants team on 01900 825760.

Charity on the lookout for Cumbrian photograph

Cumbria Community Foundation is appealing for photographs to help celebrate its 20th-anniversary.

The charity is publishing a book of photos and staging an exhibition to highlight its work over the last two decades and wants to hear suggestions for images to include in the project.

The Foundation has already selected 19 images that cover everything from the floods and the Foot and Mouth crisis to small community projects it has funded and is launching this appeal to find the final, 20th photograph.

Over the last 20 years, the Foundation has raised millions to help thousands of individuals and community groups and it hopes the public will come forward and suggest a picture to complete the book.

Photographs should either illustrate an aspect of work that has been helped by funding from the Foundation and could be anything from a sporting club in action to a landscape photograph, or an image that shows the community spirit of Cumbrians.

A photograph will be selected from all the nominations to be included in a book to be published in April and an exhibition that will tour Cumbria as part of a year of special events called ‘Giving Back, Looking Forward’.

Annalee Holliday, Grants and Donor Services Officer at the Foundation, said: “We’re hoping that individuals and organisations will help us celebrate our anniversary by coming forward with the best picture that illustrates their work.

“We’ve already got 19 amazing photos to include in this project and we thought it would be a nice way to complete it by hearing from the people we’ve helped over the years about what image they’d like to include.”

Anyone wishing to suggest a photograph to include in Cumbria Community Foundation’s book can do so by either emailing annalee@cumbriafoundation.org or via the Foundation’s social media channels (@cumbriacf on Twitter or www.facebook.com/cumbriafoundation), which are using the hashtag #thankyouCCF to appeal for photos.

Photographs should be of a high resolution and should be submitted no later than 15th February.

West Cumbrian causes awarded a share of £280,000

Community projects across West Cumbria tackling a range of issues including anti-social behaviour, health and wellbeing and unemployment have received a share of more than £280,000.

Cumbria Community Foundation awarded the money to more than 50 charitable groups at its quarterly West Cumbria grants panel. Funding was also given to 25 young people towards academic study and foreign travel.

The money came from 23 grant making funds, including those set up by local corporate businesses such as Lamont Pridmore, Shepley Engineers and United Utilities.

Egremont Youth Partnership received £5,000 from the Lord Egremont Fund. James Bowden, Youth Centre Manager, said: “The youth group is grateful and delighted to have received support this year from Lord Egremont towards our core running costs, we entirely dependent on grant aid and fundraising. The need for youth provision within the town is high and the work we will deliver as part of this funding is essential to our young people. Over the next year we will continue to provide a varied programme for the young people of Egremont and the surrounding community with our variety of sessions delivered over 3 nights a week.”

Silloth on Solway Sport’s Association received £10,000 for a planned multi use games area from the Hellrigg Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund. Colin Baty, Assistant Secretary, said: “We are installing a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) in the town and this money will be used in the excavation and preparation of the area before a 3G Astro Turf can be laid.

“The MUGA will greatly enhance the outdoor sport’s facilities in Silloth, especially during the dark winter months as there is currently no provision with adequate lighting for the local community to access.”

Last year, Cleator Moor Celtic Football Club was promoted into the Hallmark Security Football League Division One North, which is Step 6 in the FA football pyramid but needed to undertake pitch improvements work to play in the League. Thanks to a grant of £10,000 from the United Utilities Legacy Fund, work can now begin. David Graham, Project Manager, said: “The aim is to bring the pitch up to recognised Sport of England standards for winter pitch use. The money will also act as match funding when we apply to the Football Stadia Improvement Fund.”

Cumbria Police Community Support Officer said: “The club is an excellent environment for the younger members of the community and it also provides an outlet for their parents who regularly attend the club on a social basis. It plays an important part in the whole community and is an essential teaching tool that provides children with a sense of pride and hopefully inspires them to continue to excel in the field of sports.”

1st Seaton Scout Group can now build a brand-new community facility after receiving £30,000 from the United Utilities Legacy Fund. The current scout hut is nearly 85 years old and has been on the same site in the village for more than 40 years. After successfully fundraising to develop a new facility, the grant from United Utilities was the last bit of funding the group needed to begin the building work.

Mike Ditchburn, Acting Chairman of the Scout Group, said: “It felt like Christmas had come early when we were told by Cumbria Community Foundation that we had been awarded a grant of £30,000 from the United Utilities Legacy Fund on 20 December 2019.”

Brian Hemming, who is working on behalf of 1st Seaton Scout Group to raise funds for the new facility, said: “On telling the group of the good news, it was decided that we should all start the New Year by polishing up picks and spades and start on the site this year. The whole group, including our 70 scouts, wish to thank Cumbria Community Foundation and United Utilities, and the whole community for supporting us in achieving our target.”

The closing date for the next West Cumbria grants panel is 22nd February 2019. For more information, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org or call a member of the grants team on 01900 825760.

Women and girls projects share in £3.4 million of national funding.

Almost 500 of Cumbria’s most vulnerable women and girls will benefit from charitable funding through projects focusing on those at risk of crisis.

Three community groups have received grants of between £5,000 – £10,000 from the Tampon Tax Community Fund, administered by Cumbria Community Foundation, to work with women of all ages, focussing on preventative services.

Charities to receive funding include Springfield Domestic Abuse Support in Kendal, Gateway 4 Women in Carlisle and Women’s Community Matters in Barrow.

Springfield Domestic Abuse Support will carry out one to one support and counselling to help 100 women build their skills and confidence and improve health and wellbeing. The grant will allow the charity to improve current support on offer, providing more appointments and reducing the waiting list. Women have sometimes had to wait up to 3 weeks for an initial meeting, with another member of staff available women will been seen within a week.

Angela Speak, Project Lead Community Support Service/Deputy Springfield Service Manager, said: “Demand for our support has more than doubled in the past year and we will be using the funding to provide an additional staff member on a part time contract for 12 months. This will make a huge difference to our service and reduce the current pressure on our service and waiting times for appointments.”

Women’s Community Matters will employ two part-time Project Assistants who will work alongside the Project Manager and other staff to support the delivery of a range of additional activities for young women to build their skills, confidence and improve health and wellbeing.

Many women travel to the centre in Barrow from Ulverston, Millom, Askam and Grange and this project will support around 300 different women over a 6 month period, helping to improve their own mental health and wellbeing by accessing a range of opportunities for social connection and learning.

A delighted Rebecca Rawlings, Senior Officer at Women’s Community Matters, said: “We are really grateful for this opportunity to support women with their mental health and wellbeing. We have developed the idea alongside women who access the centre and we are all looking forward to developing more opportunities for women and girls in the community.”

Gateway 4 Women will use the money to run the Pause for Thought project, which will build the confidence and self-worth of young women through activities and discussions. It will provide opportunity to connect with other young women who have similar experiences as a process to recovery, sharing their stories as part of the group process.

Jennifer Campbell, Chief Executive, said: “Building on the popularity and success of our existing course programme: ‘Beautiful Woman, Beautiful Me’, we will be introducing a similar personal development course ‘Pause for Thought’ tailored for young women aged 14-19.”

Ellen Clements, Senior Grants and Donor Services Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We are aware that there is a high number of women who face multiple disadvantages in Cumbria. I welcome the chance to use the Tampon Tax proceeds to help change the lives of these women. The grants will make a big difference to the projects funded, enabling women in Cumbria to build their confidence and self-worth.”

VACANCY – 20th Anniversary Events and Fundraising Coordinator

20th Anniversary Events and Fundraising  Coordinator  (fixed-term position until February 2020)

 (25 – 30 hours per week negotiable) per week across 5 days

£20-21K full-time equivalent, depending on experience

2019 is the 20th anniversary of the Foundation. We have titled the year: ‘Giving Back, Looking Forward’. It will be a year in which we aim to widen people’s involvement in the Community Foundation, by communicating the impact and positive change achieved through our grant making, having distributed £42m since 1999.

As part of our year-long campaign, we are encouraging people and businesses to get involved and take part in their own challenge or host an event to help raise money for the Cumbria Fund.

We are seeking a confident, enthusiastic and driven individual who has a passion for Cumbria and will act as the central point of contact with event hosts to ensure top quality support and follow-ups.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Annalee Holliday or Anne Meeghan on 01900 825760

The post is based at our offices in Dovenby near Cockermouth.

If you want to work with a highly respected organisation in a challenging but interesting role then download the job description and application form.

Closing date for applications is midnight Sunday 3rd February 2019.

Interviews commence week beginning 11th February 2019.

Spashing out for Cumbrian causes

It was a cold and wet start to the year for the team at Cumbria Community Foundation who have so far raised more than £4,500 for charitable causes right across the county.

Staff and trustees kick-started a year-long fundraising campaign to celebrate the charity’s 20th anniversary in 2019, by splashing out and venturing into the chilly waters of Windermere on 8th January.

The money raised will go into the Cumbria Fund, which awards more than £100,000 to 50 community projects each year and helps improve the lives of disadvantaged people across Cumbria.

It’s all part of a year of special events called ‘Giving Back, Looking Forward’, which will celebrate the charity’s achievements to date and encourage the community to get involved in their own fundraising challenges.

Annalee Holliday, Grants & Donor Services Officer at the Foundation, said: “This year is the Foundation’s 20th Anniversary and we’ve set ourselves the target of raising £250,000 for the Cumbria Fund over the next 12 months. We hope that we have inspired other people to set themselves a challenge in 2019 and support the fundraising appeal.”

Some of the charities to benefit from the Cumbria Fund include: West Cumbria Domestic Violence Support, known as the Freedom Project, Furness Homeless Support, South Lakeland Mind, Allerdale Disability Association, Carlisle Mencap, Cumbria Deaf Association, Eden and South Lakeland Credit Union, Windermere Youth Project and many more.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of the Foundation, said the dip was “Absolutely exhilarating. It’s great to do this with the team as we celebrate our 20 year anniversary.

“The team were very brave, and it was very difficult as the waters were baltic! Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, we have raised an amazing amount of money, which will support community projects across Cumbria. We would like to thank Maryport Inshore Rescue and Simon Berry, High Sherriff of Cumbria and Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa owner who supported the team on the day.”

Donations can still be made online: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/windermeredip

If you have been inspired to support Cumbria Community Foundation, a fundraising guide is available to download from the CCF website to help you plan your own challenge: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/20th-anniversary/challenge/