Nominations are now open for the Better Tomorrows Awards 2026, a celebration of outstanding youth work across Cumbria.

The awards will shine a spotlight on the people and projects making a real difference in the lives of young people. Public nominations are now open for three categories: Youth Worker of the Year, Youth Project of the Year, and Young Volunteer of the Year.

NOMINATE HERE

This is the second year the awards will be held, forming part of the annual Better Tomorrows Celebration Event, which brings together youth workers, young people, funders, and community organisations. This year’s event will take place on 13 November at The Benny Walker Centre in Workington, where the winners will be announced in front of a live audience.

Better Tomorrows was launched by Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) in 2021 with the aim of substantially increasing the number of young people able to access quality youth work and the number of trained youth workers across Cumbria.

David Beeby, former CCF Chair and founder of the Better Tomorrows programme, said: “The feedback we have had from the newly trained youth workers, the young people they support and the organisations they work in tells us that Better Tomorrows is making a huge difference across the county.

“Last year we held these awards for the first time to recognise and celebrate the incredible work happening across our communities – both paid and voluntary – to support and inspire young people. We had some fantastic nominations and the awards evening was an inspirational celebration of youth work at its best. I can’t wait to see this year’s entries.”

Last year, Shackles Off, of Seascale, was named Youth Project of the Year in the first Better Tomorrows Awards. Operations Manager Joanne Pears said: “Winning the award is an incredible recognition of our team’s passion, commitment, and dedication to young people. The award celebrates the real and lasting difference Shackles Off makes in young people’s lives, while shining a spotlight on the importance of high-quality youth work in rural communities.

“Above all, it celebrates the incredible young people at the heart of everything we do. They inspire our work, shape our project and are, quite simply, the reason we exist.”

The other category winners were Lindsey Atkinson, of Tullie, Carlisle, who was named Youth Worker of the Year, and Evie Owen, of Wigton Wombles, run by North Allerdale Development Trust, who won Young Volunteer of the Year.

To date, Better Tomorrows has trained more than 80 accredited youth workers, funded 60 new youth work roles, and engaged more than 7,000 young people across Cumbria.

As well as funding to pay for accredited youth work training, which is managed by Cumbria Youth Alliance, Better Tomorrows also offers multi-year grants of up to £75,000 to community organisations that set up or provide new youth work opportunities for local people.

More than 50 funders have contributed to the programme, including Cumbria Community Foundation, Francis Scott Trust, Four Acre Trust, Nuclear Waste Services, many local businesses and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice and Programmes at CCF, said: “We know that early intervention and positive relationships can have a lasting impact on a young person’s future, yet too many communities still lack access to quality youth provision.

“Donations to Better Tomorrows help us invest in local solutions that respond to the needs of young people, creating opportunities where they are needed most. Every contribution helps to expand access to youth work and ensure that more young people can benefit from the guidance, encouragement and opportunities that help them thrive.”

Nominations for the Better Tomorrows Awards 2026 close at 10am on Monday, 28 September. A shortlist will be chosen in each category from public nominations, then a panel of young people will pick the winners.

Nominations can be submitted at www.cumbriafoundation.org/programmes/better-tomorrows/better-tomorrows-awards

For more information about Better Tomorrows, and how to support it, contact Annalee Holliday on 01900 820827 or email annalee@cumbriafoundation.org.

A grassroots football club is looking forward to playing on an improved pitch, thanks to a grant from a Cumbrian engineering firm.

The Shepley Group Fund was established in 2009 by Whitehaven-based Shepley Engineers Limited to give grants to small, volunteer-led or community groups helping people facing disadvantage.

The fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, has awarded more than £160,000 in grants since then. Six projects have received a total of £11,300 from the fund in recent months.

Gosforth Juniors Football Club has been awarded £800 to buy a piece of equipment that will enable them to bring pitch maintenance and improvements in-house, rather than having to pay an external contractor to keep the pitch in good shape.

Tim Ferris, of Gosforth Juniors FC, explained why the funding was so important. “Relying on external contractors rapidly depletes our limited club reserves, making it financially unsustainable to maintain the required pitch quality long-term.

“The £800 funding will pay for a tractor-mounted PTO cone spreader attachment. This equipment will enable our club volunteers to carry out pitch maintenance ourselves, eliminating high contractor fees while significantly improving turf density and playability for our junior and youth teams.”

Ryan Christie, Group Operations Support Manager at the Shepley Group, said: “We love supporting good causes across the county through our fund with Cumbria Community Foundation. It’s particularly nice to be able to support an organisation such as Gosforth Juniors Football Club, so close to Sellafield, the base for much of our work.

“Junior football clubs provide a vital role in communities across Cumbria, keeping young people fit and boosting their mental health too. Hundreds of people give up their own time each week to volunteer both on and off the pitch.

“We are delighted to be able to support this project, which will enable the community to be more self-sufficient, bringing key skills and jobs in-house. We hope this grant will have a positive impact for all at Gosforth Juniors FC and wish them all the best for the season ahead.”

Other projects supported by the Shepley Group Fund in recent months include:
• £2,500 to Boxwise Foundation for the delivery of 10-week boxing programmes in West Cumbria
• £2,000 to Every Life Matters to fund suicide bereavement support for children and young people in Cumberland
• £2,000 to Lighthouse Centre Limited towards running costs for the Good Enough Start Programme
• £2,000 to Phoenix Enterprise Centre to provide advice on employment and benefits, free digital access and food support
• £2,000 to Time to Change West Cumbria towards staff wages to operate Calderwood House emergency homeless hostel

Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice and Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “The Shepley Group Fund supports a wide range of vital projects across Cumbria, making a real difference where help is most needed. We are really grateful that they trust us to deliver this essential work.”

Cumbria Community Foundation gives around £6million 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.

Community groups and charitable organisations across Cumbria will benefit from a legacy gift of more than £1 million from a much-loved Carlisle charity leader.

Rachael Rodway, who died in April 2022, was the founder and chair of trustees of Carlisle Foodbank, as well as being trustee of several other charities and a well-respected solicitor.

She left a gift of more than £1 million in her will to Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF), the county’s leading grant making charity.

The money will boost the Cumbria Fund, Cumbria Community Foundation’s main fund for targeting need across the county, from poverty and poor health, to inequality, community cohesion and climate change.

Caroline Adams, Development Manager for Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We were absolutely stunned and delighted to learn that Rachael Rodway had left this incredible gift in her will to Cumbria Community Foundation.

“As the driving force behind Carlisle Foodbank, Rachael understood the Cumbrian charity sector better than anyone. Therefore, we’re particularly pleased that she entrusted her money to us to make a difference in Cumbrian communities where it is most needed.

“The Cumbria Fund is our most flexible and powerful fund that we can direct to address the priority issues in our county.”

Carlisle Foodbank benefitted from a Cumbria Fund grant to expand its operations back in 2016, and more recently received further CCF funding towards salary costs for a part-time staff member to help run a new onsite community shop, café, and social hub.

The café opened last year and was named ‘Rachael’s’ in honour of its founder.

Steph Humes, Operations Director at Carlisle Foodbank, said: “We came up with lots of different suggestions for the name and then one of the volunteers said ‘why don’t we call the place Rachael’s?’ and everyone agreed it would be a lovely way to remember her. People who come in the café ask who Rachael was and we tell them all about her.

“She did a lot of work behind the scenes for this place. She was in here right up until the end, very much playing down her illness. She was just incredible, not just for this place but for the whole community.”

On Rachael’s decision to leave a gift in her will to Cumbria Community Foundation, Steph said: “It’s amazing. I’m not surprised at all that she would do something like that. She was a very giving and generous person behind the scenes. She didn’t like to be recognised for the work she did. She just did it and did it well.”

The executors of Rachael’s will said: “Rachael’s charitable work was done efficiently without any sense of her own importance. She was very conscious of her own good fortune and was determined to use her time to improve the lot of others. In addition, she had a robust sense of humour and a keen eye for beautiful things.”

As demand for support continues to grow, CCF is encouraging more people, businesses and organisations to get involved by donating, establishing a fund or leaving a gift in their will to help make a lasting difference to communities across the county.

Development Manager Caroline Adams explained: “You don’t need to give a million pounds to make a difference. That’s the power of the community foundation – however much you can afford to give will be put to best use tackling the most vital issues in our communities.”

To find out more about supporting those in need in Cumbria, contact Caroline on 01900 820825 or email caroline@cumbriafoundation.org.

An exciting new fund created by local people, for local people in Barrow to support community projects and help those in need is now open for applications.

Throughout July, more than 20 local residents who volunteered to join a community panel have been taking part in workshops to decide how they would like £85,000 of grant funding to be spent. They have created a fund which aims to bring people together, strengthen communities, create opportunities for local residents, and support community-led ideas that deliver lasting benefits.

This is the second year where residents have had the chance to drive the participatory element of the Barrow Social Impact Fund, provided by Team Barrow and managed by Cumbria Community Foundation.

This year’s community panel has named the fund the Barrow Helping Barrow Fund, and decided that it will support projects in the town that do one of the following:
• Bring people together by reducing isolation and creating opportunities for people of different ages and backgrounds to connect.
• Make better use of community spaces by increasing access to local venues, facilities and green spaces, and encouraging activities that strengthen community participation.
• Create opportunities for young people aged 14 to 18 through activities designed with young people that build skills, confidence, aspirations and connections.
• Build stronger communities through volunteering by creating opportunities for local people to contribute, develop new skills and support community life.
• Encourage new ideas and community-led solutions that respond to local needs, support emerging groups, and deliver sustainable, long-term benefits.
• Support older people through practical assistance, social opportunities and meaningful activities that complement existing services.

Members of the community panel have also helped design the application process, with an emphasis on making it as accessible as possible.

Application forms are in easy-read format, and there will be several ‘meet the fund’ sessions in Barrow and online for anyone thinking of applying.

Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice and Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “It has been fantastic working with the community panel in Barrow, who have brought real-life experience and local insight to the table. Their involvement has ensured that funding decisions are shaped by the people who know the community best, helping to target support where it will have the greatest impact.

“Thank you so much to all of the volunteers who gave up their time to create the Barrow Helping Barrow Fund, and of course to Team Barrow’s Barrow Social Impact Fund for providing the funding.

“I encourage anyone thinking of applying to come along to one of the ‘meet the fund’ events where panel members – local residents who helped shaped the fund – will be available to answer questions and support with applications.”

Nat Wealleans-Turner, Community and Social Impact Lead for Team Barrow said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Barrow Helping Barrow Fund for a second consecutive year and to continue putting local people at the heart of decisions about how this funding is used.

“I’d like to thank all of the residents who generously volunteered their time, ideas and local knowledge to shape the fund and help decide where support is most needed. Their commitment has created a fund that reflects the priorities of the community and will help support a wide range of worthwhile local causes, strengthening communities, creating opportunities and delivering lasting benefits for people across Barrow.”

Members of the community panel said how much they had enjoyed and valued the opportunity to help create the new fund and make decisions about where funding should go locally.

One said: “I’m taking away the thought that there’s so much more I can do to help improve Barrow’s community.”

Another member added: “I have more to contribute than I thought. There are brilliant people in Barrow.”

The ‘meet the fund’ events will take place on:
• Monday 17 August 2026, 10am to 12noon, The Bridge, Barrow
• Friday, 4 September 2026, 1pm to 3pm, The Bridge, Barrow
• Tuesday 15 September 2026, 6pm to 7pm, online

Attendance is optional but encouraged for those seeking help with their application. For further information, email Siona Hartley, Cumbria Community Foundation Grants and Programmes Officer at siona@cumbriafoundation.org.

The fund is open to charitable, not-for-profit organisations based within 10 miles of Barrow with an annual income of less than £200,000 in their most recent financial year.

Grants will normally be for up to £10,000 over one year. Funding may be used for project running costs and equipment. Projects may be one-off events or ongoing but must show a lasting impact. They should be delivered within the Barrow boundary and have involved local people in the design of the project.

More details and the online application portal can be found at: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/barrow-helping-barrow-fund/

The deadline for applications is midday on Monday 21 September 2026.

The community panel will meet in October to decide which projects will be awarded funding. Grants will be expected to be spent by May 2027.

Farmers across Cumbria are being invited to register their interest in joining a new initiative aiming to strengthen collaboration and support the long-term future of farming in the county.

Cumbria Farmer Network, Cumbria Community Foundation, the Food Farming and Countryside Commission and the Cumbria Combined Authority have formed a partnership to bid for funding from the DEFRA Farmer Collaboration Fund (FCF).

This fund supports practical, farmer-led projects that help farmers and land managers work together to improve sustainability, productivity and resilience.

Cumbria already has a number of successful farm cluster groups where farmers share knowledge and coordinate their activities in support of their farms, the economy and the natural environment. The Cumbrian partnership wants to build on that success by working with existing groups and encouraging new ones to form to ensure the whole farming community can benefit.

Farmers interested in finding out more or registering their interest are encouraged to visit https://www.cumbriafarmercollaboration.org.uk/.

The partnership is seeking three years’ funding to strengthen existing farmer groups, create new ones and help participating farms develop stronger business plans for the future.

Veronica Waller, Senior Project Manager with Cumbria Farmer Network, said: “We know that farmers greatly benefit from working together in groups, so we are urging any farmers or groups interested in being part of the bid to contact us as soon as possible.

“We are gathering expressions of interest ahead of the fund opening for applications on 1 September.”

Cumbria Community Foundation has hit the incredible milestone of £75 million given out to grassroots good causes across the county.

Set up in 1999 to inspire local giving and help communities thrive, Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) raises and invests money to support the people, places and causes that make Cumbria stronger. Today, CCF manages more than 150 funds on behalf of businesses, individuals, families and trusts across the county, awarding vital grants that enable local people to meet the challenges they face.

Generosity

In 2025/26, CCF awarded £5.3 million through 706 grants, helping community groups and individuals across Cumbria. This included 458 grants to groups and 248 grants to individuals, with average awards of £8,232 and £1,012 respectively.

Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice and Programmes at CCF, said: “Reaching the £75 million milestone reflects the generosity of thousands of donors and the lasting impact of community organisations across the county. We’re proud that our experience and expertise mean we’re the trusted philanthropic partner for Cumbria.

“We target funding where it is needed most, creating the biggest impact in areas of greatest need, tackling poverty, health issues, inequality, community cohesion and climate change.

“We’re pleased with the impact our work continues to have but know that the need today is greater than ever.”

Sixteen new funds were set up with CCF in 2025/26, including several funded by notable Cumbrian businesses, including Grasmere Gingerbread, Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd and Westmorland, owners of Tebay Services and Rheged.

Other funds were established as a result of gifts left in wills by generous individuals, and others set up in memory of loved ones.

Organisations supported in 2025/26 included Artworks Art4All, a Barrow social enterprise on a mission to improve the mental health and wellbeing of people in Furness. CCF awarded £3,351 towards the cost of equipment, materials and transport for the Men’s Make and Mend group, set up in 2024 at the request of local men dealing with anxiety, loneliness and other mental health issues.

One participant, Dale, has found support from the group after the death of two close family members. “Just coming to this group instead of sitting at home helps me get through that and gives me a routine,” he said. “Just getting out the house and interacting with people really helps me.”

Cumbria Community Foundation carried out a survey earlier this year, asking people who received grants in the past three years for their feedback. More than 90% of respondents agreed that the application process was easy to understand, with clear eligibility criteria. More than 80% said they received good communication from CCF at every stage of the application process.

Supportive

One applicant said: ““Everyone I have dealt with at Cumbria Community Foundation has been consistently supportive, professional and genuinely keen to help. The advice, responsiveness and constructive approach make a real difference, particularly for small, volunteer-led organisations who are doing their best to develop strong and realistic funding bids. Even where applications are not successful, the way feedback and support is offered feels encouraging and focused on helping organisations improve rather than simply saying no, and that is hugely appreciated.”

A new online portal has been introduced to make the application process simpler and more efficient for groups and individuals applying for funding.

As demand for support continues to grow, CCF is encouraging more people, businesses and organisations to get involved by donating, establishing a fund or leaving a gift in their will to help make a lasting difference to communities across the county.

To find out more about supporting those in need in Cumbria, contact Development Manager Caroline Adams on 01900 820825 or email caroline@cumbriafoundation.org.

Young Cumbrian entrepreneurs showed off their innovative business ideas, from AI virtual assistants to African food, at two celebration events this week.

Fifteen young people from Furness and West Cumbria aged 14 to 25 were selected to take part in the Positive Enterprise programme back in January.

The programme, developed and run by Cumbria Community Foundation and the Centre for Leadership Performance (CforLP), helps young people go into business.

Participants were each given a £1,000 grant at the start of this year to launch or develop their own business. Their innovative ideas ranged from pet photography and a mobile make-up service, to fragrances capturing the smells of Cumbria and a gutter cleaning business.

They all received six months of mentoring from an experienced local businessperson, and skills and leadership development opportunities from CforLP.

Celebration events were held this week at the Carnegie Theatre in Workington and The Bridge in Barrow, where the young people gave a presentation about their business, explaining where their idea had come from, and talking through the successes and challenges they had faced.

Two from each area were chosen by the judges to receive a further cash injection into their business.

Impressing them most from the West Cumbria cohort was Maria Ferreira, 21, of Workington, who refurbishes and reupholsters furniture through her business Ferrocious Furniture. She received an additional £1,000 in funding which she plans to spend on running workshops to teach others how to upcycle and breathe new life into old items.

“I want to show people that you can find pieces in your home that you can give a new lease of life to, rather than just throwing them away,” she explained. “Sometimes it feels like there aren’t many career opportunities or creative outlets for people in places like Workington. I want to show people that you can do it if you try. This is something I want to do for the rest of my life as a business.”

Maria was mentored by Rachel Stewart, who has now volunteered her time and expertise on the programme for three years. “It has been great,” Rachel said. “My friend is an upholsterer, and my dad restores furniture, so Maria has been able to learn from them too. It has been a real team effort. I’m so proud of her.”

Runner-up was 20-year-old Holly Chamberlain of Cockermouth, who received an additional £500 towards her business Un Petit Rêve – a sewing and knitting pattern studio. Holly designs, makes and sells clothes, patterns, and knitted items, and runs workshops so others can do the same.

This is the fourth year of the Positive Enterprise programme, which was funded in West Cumbria this year by Sellafield Ltd, through the Transforming West Cumbria programme, Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd, the Printers Inc Social Mobility Fund, and a private donor.

Stuart McCourt, Senior Social Impact Manager at Sellafield Ltd, said: “We were delighted to support Positive Enterprise for the fourth year running through our SiX social impact, multiplied programme. Very well done to all of the participants, it is really inspiring to see how they have taken an idea and developed that through into reality. It’s fantastic to hear about their progress on the programme and I’m excited to see them take their next steps.

“Whatever the future holds for them, I’m sure the skills that the participants have gained and the network they have built will help them enormously. Positive Enterprise is a real team effort between the participants, delivery partners, business mentors and funders and shows what can be achieved when we work together.”

Positive Enterprise ran for the first time in the Furness area this year, funded by the Printers Inc Social Mobility Fund and individual donor Jan Ambler.

Travis Drake, 25, of Barrow, was chosen by the judges to receive an additional £1,000 grant towards his business Buzz Trackers – a device to help people find items they have mislaid, such as TV remote controls. He was mentored by James Batchelor.

Travis said: “The funding from Positive Enterprise really did help but the best thing has been the people I’ve met along the journey. James has been a great mentor throughout, helping me think outside the box and try new ideas.”

Runner-up for Furness was Rukky Jokoh, 18, with her Nigerian food business Rukky’s Naija Hub. She said: “The programme has helped me turn a passion into a sustainable business, bringing authentic Nigerian food to more people.”

The programme is delivered by the Centre for Leadership Performance. Executive Director Catherine Eve said: “Positive Enterprise goes from strength to strength. The ideas, energy and creativity of the participants this year was next level and we are confident they all have very bright futures ahead of them.

“The programme has given these young people invaluable help from their mentors, practical workshops and a tailored programme of support, enabling them to develop key employability and entrepreneurial skills such as negotiation, time management, and business knowledge.”

Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice & Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “Thank you to all of the mentors who give up their time and the donors who have funded this truly transformational programme, which will no doubt have a lasting effect on the young people involved throughout their careers.”

Applications for Positive Enterprise 2027 will open later this year but anyone keen to be involved as a participant or mentor can register their interest now by emailing grants@cumbriafoundation.org.

For more information visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/transforming-west-cumbria/positive-enterprise/

Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) is inviting tenders from suitably qualified organisations to design and develop a new website, creating a modern and engaging platform that reflects its work and impact across the county.

As an independent, award-winning funder, CCF connects people who want to give with local communities in need. It manages more than 140 grant making funds and has awarded over £70 million to support thousands of groups and individuals across Cumbria.

The new website will play a vital role in showcasing this work, acting as a key window into the Foundation for donors, fundholders, charities and communities. It will highlight the impact of funding, demonstrate local need, and make it easy for people to take action – whether that’s making a donation, applying for funding or finding out more.

CCF is looking to work with a digital partner to create a site that is accessible, engaging and easy to navigate, with clear user journeys and strong storytelling about the difference funding makes across Cumbria.

Proposals are invited from organisations with experience of delivering similar projects, and should outline a clear and collaborative approach to design, development and delivery, along with ongoing support and maintenance.

Development of the new website is planned for autumn/winter 2026.

For more information about the opportunity, read the CCF Website Development Tender Brief.

For further details or to submit a proposal, email caroline@cumbriafoundation.org.

Closing date for applications: 10am, Monday 27 July 2026.

A community allotment, a village hub, and help for young people bereaved by suicide are among projects supported by a life-changing fund in its first year.

The Matson Ground Fund was founded by Alex and Samantha Scott in 2025 and is managed by Cumbria Community Foundation. It aims to strengthen communities by supporting them to respond to local need. It funds projects that bring people together to address shared challenges, encourage social action and improve local spaces.

Hesket Newmarket Community Shop received a grant of £10,000 from the fund to create a community hub. Local people took ownership of the shop in early 2026 and wanted to establish a welcoming space for people to meet, to combat loneliness and rural isolation.

A storeroom at the side of the building has been turned into a welcoming space with tables, chairs and a coffee machine.

Simon Hewitt, Chair of the Hesket Newmarket Community Shop management committee, said the aim was that, as well as being a social space, the hub would host training sessions, such as IT coaching sessions, drop-in sessions for healthcare professionals, and fun nights for young people.

He said: “The hub will form a key strand in our aims to combat rural isolation and loneliness within our community, and it will also act as a safe place of refuge in times of power outages and flooding, something the area is prone to.”

The Matson Ground Fund also gave £4,674 to Windermere Park For All towards the installation of a concrete bowl skate park. The project to replace the existing outdated skate park was initiated by local parents and park users who wanted to improve the facility for children and the wider community.

Ben Berry, Chair of the Windermere Park For All committee, said: “This project is about much more than ramps and concrete. It is about giving young people a place that feels like theirs, where they can be active, creative and part of the community.”

Vision

Distington Community Trust has led a project to transform a piece of wasteland in the middle of the village into a lively community allotment.

Their vision was to create “a community hub for residents to meet in a central place, to strengthen social skills, encourage physical activity, promote creativity, combat loneliness and bring the community together as a whole.”

The first plots were allocated in June last year and all 22 were soon full, with several people on the waiting list. Local people and businesses have given their time and materials to the project, and locals have held fundraisers to buy equipment.

Trust secretary Joy Jones said: “It’s been overwhelming, the response from the village. I’ve lived in the village for 19 years and would never have met all of these people if it wasn’t for the allotments.”

Hugh Cronie, 76, explained how having an allotment plot has helped him. “It’s got me out the house. If I wasn’t here, I’d be sitting at home. It gets me some fresh air.

“We’re a big happy family. Everybody’s enjoying it here.”

The Matson Ground Fund awarded Distington Community Trust £3,000 to pay for a community horticultural worker to provide expert guidance in establishing and maintaining the community garden.

Urgent need

The Fund aims to respond quickly and flexibly to emerging and urgent need. This month, it awarded £25,000 over two years to Every Life Matters, a charity that campaigns for action against suicide. The funding will go towards suicide bereavement support for children and young people in Cumberland.

Chris Wood, Chief Executive of Every Life Matters, explained the need for the project: “Our records show that in Cumbria approximately 100 children annually lose a parent or step-parent to suicide, with more losing extended family members, and some friends. This type of traumatic bereavement can have a profound impact on young people’s mental/physical health.”

No Rainbows Without Rain is a Workington-based charity supporting people across Cumbria facing poverty and hardship. It provides food, clothing and household essentials for families and individuals in need, and Christmas dinners and presents for hundreds of people each year.

The Matson Ground Fund awarded the charity £5,000 towards the running costs of their Workington base, which acts as a charity shop, furniture warehouse, foodbank and community hub.

Alex and Samantha Scott said: “The need across Cumbria varies from community to community, but there are clearly some common themes, such as isolation, poverty and poor mental health.

“Community groups and charitable organisations throughout the county do incredible work to tackle some of these issues, and we are delighted to be able to support some of them through the Matson Ground Fund. We have been incredibly impressed with all of the projects we have been to visit.

“We take real joy from being able to give, and choosing Cumbria Community Foundation to manage our giving means we have a trusted partner to guide our philanthropy.”

Generosity

Sarah Thompson, Grants and Programmes Officer for Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “After just one year, the Matson Ground Fund is already making a huge difference to communities across Cumbria. The generosity of Samantha and Alex means we can fund vital projects led by local people that strengthen communities and bring about meaningful change.

“We are really grateful that they trust us to deliver this essential work.”

The Matson Ground Fund will distribute £100,000 in grants each year for 10 years, creating a total investment of £1 million into community driven charitable activities across the county.

Find out how to apply to the fund.

Cumbria Community Foundation gives around £6million 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.