Month: September 2025
Community Foundation welcomes new Chair
A leading Cumbrian charity has paid tribute to its Chair who has stood down after almost a decade in the role.
David Beeby stepped down as Chair of Cumbria Community Foundation this week after serving a maximum nine-year term on the board of trustees.
David chaired the award-winning grant making organisation through a period of growth and also of great uncertainty in the charity sector, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis.
During David’s time as Chair, the Foundation’s grant making grew from £2 million per year to more than £6 million per year, and the Foundation’s endowed assets grew from £15 million to over £32 million. David has been at the heart of this, supporting the board and executive team and as a fund holder and advocate for philanthropy.
The highlight, amongst many contributions, was the creation of the Better Tomorrows Fund. Inspired by the difficulties facing young people after the pandemic, David worked with staff from the Foundation, Cumbria Youth Alliance and Francis Scott Trust to develop the Fund and raise money. This is used to make grants to pay for professional youth work training and funding for employment of new youth workers. Since its launch, the scheme has trained more than 50 accredited youth workers, funded over 50 new youth work roles, and helped more than 5,000 young people across Cumbria.
Cumbria Community Foundation Chief Executive Andy Beeforth said: “We are all extremely grateful to David for his passion, wisdom, commitment and generosity in the role of Chair.
“David saw firsthand that young people in our communities were facing unprecedented challenges and set out to do something about it, creating the life-changing Better Tomorrows programme. He has also helped dozens of projects supporting children and young people across the county through grants from his own family fund which he very generously set up with the community foundation.
“In addition, he has been a business mentor for the Foundation’s Positive Enterprise programme which supports young entrepreneurs, and devoted much time to meeting groups throughout the county to better understand the vital role they play in our communities.
“We would like to thank David for all he has done as Chair of the Community Foundation, and all the good work he will continue to do through Better Tomorrows and the Beeby Family Fund, addressing the ongoing need in our communities.”
David Beeby said: “Cumbria Community Foundation really helps to connect people who care with causes that matter in so many wonderful and inspirational ways. It has been a joy to be a part of that journey over the last nine years.
“I would like to express a heartfelt personal thanks to all of our wonderful donors, large and small, to our fantastic staff and volunteers who ensure the funds are put to good work and to the thousands of inspiring people who work and volunteer in the wide range of charitable organisations that help so many people and undoubtedly help to make Cumbria a better place. It has been a real privilege to meet so many wonderful people across Cumbria.”
A new Chair was formally appointed at the Community Foundation’s board meeting on Tuesday – Myles Thompson, of Great Salkeld, near Penrith. Myles is a former Chartered accountant and audit partner with KPMG, a trustee of the Lake District Calvert Trust and member of Carlisle Cathedral finance committee.
Myles said: “I am honoured to have been appointed as Chair of Cumbria Community Foundation. The Foundation is a wonderful organisation that does so much to support the communities across Cumbria. I am looking forward to finding out more about the great organisations that the Foundation supports and to meet our many supporters across the county.
“I would like to thank David Beeby for his dedication to the Foundation over the last nine years. He has left it in great shape to meet our strategic priorities set out in our 2023 to 2028 strategy.”
Funding boost for over-50s in South Lakeland
A new fund aimed at tackling loneliness and isolation among older people in South Cumbria is open now for applications.
The Age Friendly Activities Fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, is offering grants of up to £5,000 to support new and existing initiatives that help remove barriers to participation and encourage more people aged 50 and over in South Lakeland to get involved in social activities.
The fund is part of Age Friendly South Lakeland, which aims to foster inclusive, age-friendly environments where older people can stay active, engaged, and socially connected.
Katie Gatt, Age Friendly Coordinator for South Lakeland, said: “We know that social isolation is a really significant issue among older people in South Lakeland. This funding will make a huge difference, supporting projects that reduce this isolation, promote physical and mental wellbeing, and help older people feel more connected and valued in their communities.”
The fund supports projects for over-50s within the former South Lakeland district area that reduce loneliness and social isolation, encourage physical activity and healthy ageing, and foster intergenerational inclusion. Promoting digital inclusion and confidence among older people is also a priority.
Priority will be given to:
• small, grassroots and volunteer-led organisations
• community-led initiatives that demonstrate strong local engagement
• projects that reach older people in rural, deprived, or underserved areas
• proposals with potential for lasting impact or sustainability
Find out more at https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/age-friendly-activities-fund/. For further details, email grants@cumbriafoundation.org or call 01900 825760.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Read more about Age Friendly South Lakeland at https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/programmes/age-friendly-south-lakeland/.
£260,000 Government funding to build social connections
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has extended the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund to March 2026. Through this funding, Cumbria Community Foundation has received a further £260,000 towards the Furness For You partnership project, encouraging volunteering and building social connections in Barrow-in-Furness.
Barrow-in-Furness was recognised by Government as having significant levels of deprivation and higher levels of need in terms of civil society and community infrastructure.
Since the KYN Fund was launched in January 2023, UK Community Foundations (UKCF) – a national network of place-based community foundations – has delivered up to £14 million of £19 million government funding made available, of which Cumbria Community Foundation has distributed more than £1m to a number of projects. Additionally, Cumbria Community Foundation was able to contribute further funds through local match funding.
In April 2025, the Fund was extended until March 2026, with an additional £4.5 million of government funding. Of this £4.5 million, £2.6 million has been awarded to UKCF by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
With its extended allocation of £260,000, Cumbria Community Foundation, a member of UKCF, will continue supporting existing projects and work with local voluntary networks to implement long-lasting, scalable initiatives that last beyond March 2026.
The Furness For You project is a partnership of local charities and voluntary organisations, led by charity Groundwork North East and Cumbria. The partnership offers a variety of meaningful activities to address isolation and loneliness, help people build confidence, meet new people, acquire new skills and encourage volunteering.
Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice and Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “A recent evaluation confirmed that Furness For You has had a significant impact on participants, many of whom reported increased social connection, improved mental health, and personal growth. Beneficiaries described overcoming deep-rooted fears and anxieties to engage with activities, often after months or years of isolation.
“This valuable funding, together with match funding of nearly £11,000 from the Pappagallino Fund, will help extend and develop delivery, and support even more people.”
The Furness For You partnership has launched an online support hub designed to connect people across the Furness area with the help, services and activities they need.
The free website – furnessforyou.org.uk – brings together information from a wide range of organisations and builds on the partnership’s missions to tackle social isolation, promote volunteering, and strengthen community ties.
Working together to create career opportunities in West Cumbria
A new fund has been created to help people into employment in West Cumbria, thanks to a partnership of companies who work together to deliver major infrastructure projects at Sellafield.
The Programme and Project Partners (PPP) Social Impact Fund – managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, and funded by Kellogg Brown and Root Ltd, Amentum Clean Energy Ltd, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, and Altrad Babcock Ltd – will provide grants to individuals and community groups.
The fund aims to enable access to educational and training activities that raise career aspirations; support individuals in becoming “work ready”; facilitate entry into meaningful employment; and remove barriers to employment and economic participation.
The first grant has been awarded, to Goodlives, a charity that runs training centres for adults facing long-term unemployment, social exclusion or poor mental health, in Cleator Moor and at West Lakes Science Park, near Whitehaven. A grant of £10,000 will go towards salary costs for a Project Trainer to provide support for adults to improve their skills and self-confidence and help with their job search.
The training centres run courses in areas such as food and nutrition, horticulture and customer service, equipping unemployed people with transferable skills to take into the world of work. Goodlives also offers help with CV writing, interview preparation and work experience placements.
Karen Jones, Managing Director of Goodlives, said: “Our project offers local, long term unemployed and ‘hard to reach’ benefit claimants the chance to learn new skills, build confidence and motivation.
“Many suffer from chronic lack of confidence, low self-worth usually brought about by a change in circumstances, generational unemployment, long term unemployment or lack of skills/ability. Additionally, the factors of rural isolation and limited, expensive local transport imprison this group.
“We also have younger people come to us for support with job hunting who may not face these additional challenges but are having difficulty securing employment.
“We stay in contact with people for up to six months after they have found a job as we find it can be a vulnerable time, making that transition into employment, especially if they haven’t worked before, or not for a long time. We help them overcome any issues that come their way – we want the positive move on to be a lasting one, not a short-lived success.
“We believe that everyone is capable of more than they realise – they just need a chance.”
Laura Doughty, Head of Strategy for Major Projects at Sellafield, said: “This fund is more than an investment in skills – it’s an investment in the future of West Cumbria. By working together, we’re helping people overcome barriers to employment and build meaningful careers. It’s about working with Sellafield to create lasting change in the communities we’re proud to be part of.
“This sits alongside PPP’s long-term commitment to extracting maximum social value from our supply chain – a consolidated, collaborative effort spanning 20 years. Together, these actions reflect our dedication to building a stronger, more inclusive West Cumbria for generations to come.”
The Programme and Project Partners (PPP) Social Impact Fund will prioritise projects that support unemployed people, particularly those facing complex barriers or living in areas of high deprivation.
Grants of up to £2,000 are available for individuals aged 18 and over, living in the former boroughs of Allerdale and Copeland. Applicants must have the backing of a recognised professional, such as a support worker or teaching professional.
Voluntary and community groups in the same areas can apply for up to £10,000 to deliver projects that improve employability and raise aspirations. Groups must demonstrate at least 50% match funding as part of their application.
Dr Jenny Benson, Director of Programmes & Partnerships at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to work with Partnership and Project Partners to ensure this funding reaches those who need it most. We know many people in West Cumbria face significant barriers to securing employment and are confident this new fund will provide practical support where it is most needed.
“Projects could include work-readiness programmes, such as CV writing and interview preparation, or vocational training courses.”
The PPP is a 20-year partnership established by Sellafield Ltd in 2019 to transform how major projects are delivered. The fund is supported by donations from Kellogg Brown and Root Ltd, Amentum Clean Energy Ltd, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, and Altrad Babcock Ltd.
For further information, please contact the Grants Team on 01900 825760 or email grants@cumbriafoundation.org.
Cumbria Community Foundation gives around £7 million in grants a year to local charities and voluntary groups through over 100 grant making funds set up by generous businesses, individuals and families.
To find out more about setting up a fund and supporting those in need in Cumbria, contact Development Manager Caroline Adams on 01900 820825 or email caroline@cumbriafoundation.org.