More than £600,000 has been awarded to a range of good causes in Cumbria, tackling issues including rural isolation, loneliness and climate change.
Over 100 grants totalling £603,195 were given out to community organisations and individuals at two recent Cumbria Community Foundation grants committee panels.
The money came from funds set up by local people and businesses including Westmorland Ltd, Fibrus and Thomas Graham & Sons.
93 community groups received a total of £578,626 towards a wide range of projects across the county, and 28 individuals benefited from £24,569 towards the cost of overseas trips, attending sporting competitions, and equipment and course fees.
Carlisle Subscription Bowling Club received £890 from Thomas Graham Grassroots Fund to pay for equipment and improved facilities, with the aim of attracting new members, to reduce social isolation and improve fitness, particularly among the over 55s.
Club Social Secretary David Whitfield said: “The grant funding will encourage and equip people of all ages to come and try bowling free of charge.
“Bowling is an activity with both physical and social benefits that we think will offer the opportunity of meeting people in a relaxed and social setting and hopefully developing a new shared interest in the sport – and if not in bowling, then at least have people think about other outdoor and social sporting activities which they can try and possibly develop an interest in, with the associated benefits to them as individuals.”
Clifton Community Council was awarded £4,300 from the ENWL Storm Arwen Community Resilience Fund towards the Clifton Info Pod Community Resilience Project.
The Info Pod is a former BT phone box which has been transformed into a community hub, housing a book swap and noticeboards. The funding will pay for the installation of a sustainably powered mobile phone charging point with battery storage system, a battery powered radio, and a community digital information hub with Wi-Fi access point and digital display screen for the sharing of crucial community information.
Becx Carter, of Clifton Community Council, said: “In the past three years alone, Clifton has suffered three major power outages for a number of hours during which the ability to charge mobile phones and access local radio would have been invaluable.
“Clifton, despite its relatively close proximity to Penrith, is a community ‘out on its own’ when bad weather emergencies happen. A sustainable powered mobile phone charging hub for use during these times is vital to ensure that people’s mobile phones can continue to be used for access to critical information, contacting emergency services and staying connected with family.”
A grant of £1,000 was awarded to 3rd Wigton Sea Scouts from Castles & Coasts Housing Association Community Fund towards the cost of setting up a Squirrel group – the youngest and newest section of the Scouts for those aged four to six.
Leader Lynne Wright said: “3rd Wigton Squirrels opened in early January this year and has been very successful, with an ever-increasing waiting list due to its popularity.
“We hope that as the little ones grow, they will progress to Beavers and then Cubs, Scouts and Explorers. They will learn about community and learn life skills along the way. They will make friends and very importantly have fun along their Scouting journey.
“We have strong community links and have done tree planting, litter picking and the like. They are all local children and we expect to see the benefits of having focused young people out in the community at large as they get older.”
South Lakeland Action on Climate Change (SLACC) was awarded £20,000 from the myLakeland Fund towards the development of new premises for its Waste into Wellbeing project.
The organisation currently runs Kendal Community Food Larder at Stricklandgate House and Kendal People’s Café at South Lakes Foyer. Their aim is to streamline its operation onto one site, building a professional catering kitchen to serve the café, process gluts of produce into pre-prepared meals and offer a dedicated training space for learners.
Stacy Hurley, Development Manager for Waste into Wellbeing, said: “We have been looking for a permanent base, which we’ve secured at the old United Reformed Church in Highgate, Kendal. The myLakeland grant will enable us to install a state-of-the-art catering kitchen. It will also house our community cooking project.”
Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice & Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We are grateful to the generosity of our fundholders to enable us to support these worthy organisations that are working hard during these difficult times to meet local needs.”
For more information or to apply for funding, call the grants team on 01900 820827 or email grants@cumbriafoundation.org.