19th January 2021
Cumbria Community Foundation is continuing to support community groups in West Cumbria through grants worth almost £130,000.
25 charitable organisations received a share of the funds at its recent West Cumbria Grants Committee. The money came from funds set up by local people and businesses including Lord Egremont, Lamont Pridmore, LLWR and Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd.
With UK unemployment figures at a record high amid the COVID-19 crisis, TEGVirtual CIC, with the support of £16,976 from the Beverley Charitable Trust Fund and Live the Dream Fund, will be offering training to young entrepreneurs affected by the pandemic.
Keith McMean, Founder & Group Director at TEGvirtual, said: “The funding will allow 20 young people to access our Entrepreneurial Programme, supporting 16 – 25 year olds in Allerdale and Copeland. It will give young people in our community the opportunity to develop their own business ideas with the aim of actually setting up a business in West Cumbria, not only impacting on our learners on the programme, but impacting on our community and economy.”
“If you are aged between 16-25 and live in the Allerdale or Copeland area and have a business idea, we would like to hear from you, please visit our website for further information www.virtual.teguk.co.uk.”
#CanDo is part of Transforming West Cumbria, a £2.2 million programme developed by Cumbria Community Foundation and funded by Sellafield Ltd and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
#CanDo encourages young people across West Cumbria to apply for funding for community projects. Those applications are then considered by a youth panel, putting the decisions firmly in the hands of the next generation.
Together We CIC received £4,442 from #CanDo for its Together We Do project, which offers training for young people to be Community Wellbeing Champions (CWCs).
Janine Ward, Managing Director, said: “10 young person will undertake training in delivering emotional resilience, body image, exam stress and keeping well workshops, and deliver these to groups of young people in the local community or schools. These young people will encourage conversations about mental and physical health and wellbeing with their peers and wider community members with the aim of more young people recognising skills to improve their health and wellbeing or seeking support if required.”
Last year, Spiral supported more than 500 young people affected by bullying by offering a free confidential service to build resilience and reduce the effects that bullying can have. The charity received £4,994 from #CanDo for its Peer Community project.
Founder, Maryann Liddle said: “The funding is a great boost for staff and volunteer moral at Spiral. We can continue to employ our young project worker and recruit up to four volunteers. With COVID-19 there has been a huge disruption in ‘normal life’, young people are not able to socialise and this is an important part of their development, this is causing uncertainty in young people which is leading to increased anxiety and low mood.
“The peer community site will be a monitored space where young people can talk to other peers, staff, and volunteers, attend game nights run by staff and volunteers, access free downloadable resources and local information. With young people’s mental health worsening, a positive social interaction can make a big difference; it supports the developing brain and cognitive thinking and can bring some happiness to their day.”
Centre for Leadership Performance (CfLP) received £4,992 from #CanDo to develop the Leading Change campaign that will enable it to engage with 12-14 year olds who so often fall through the gaps in career planning and work experience.
Sarah Glass, Executive Director, said: “A central element of our work is providing new opportunities for young people to see beyond their own circumstances to a better, more prosperous future, and to give them the confidence and self-belief that is such an important part of personal success. Our activities with young people also equip them with the life skills that come with wider experience and interaction with role models beyond their own family and school orbit.
“Leading Change gives them a voice and empowers them to make decisions, to make commitments and ultimately to make a difference to their communities. We know from our other programmes that sort of activity can be a life-changing experience for your people, broadening their horizons and instilling a new confidence in themselves, and in their futures.”
Annalee Holliday, Grants & Donor Services Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “There are many worthy organisations in West Cumbria that will raise young people’s aspirations and build their confidence. Charitable giving puts money into disadvantaged communities and unlocks more resources through people’s voluntary efforts. We are grateful to the generosity of our fundholders to enable us to support these vital services, especially during times when local services are under pressure and struggling to meet local needs.”
To apply for a grant or for more information, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org or call a member of the grants team on 01900 825760.