Seven inspiring young West Cumbrians, who started their own businesses, have been praised for their nous and ingenuity. All seven took part in Positive Enterprise, an initiative from Cumbria Community Foundation and the Centre for Leadership Performance to help young people from Allerdale and Copeland go into business.

Their achievements were recognised at a celebratory event at Lakes College, Workington, to mark the end of the first year of the programme.

All participants, aged 15 to 25, have received a £1,000 grant, mentoring from an experienced businessperson and performance and leadership development.

Aiden Thompson, 15, from Whitehaven, collected an extra £1,000 after judges were impressed by his presentation. His business, Cumbria Coastal Crafts, produces framed pebble art and customised laser engraved products.

He said: “I saw a gap in the market and it has been very successful. Positive Enterprise helped me take it from an idea to a business. The grant paid for equipment and the mentoring helped me find the best ways to sell the products and explore potential opportunities.”

Rachel McCartney, 24, of Holmrook, had the most ambitious idea. She has set up McCartney Sustainable Solutions to recycle food waste into compost, fertiliser and biofuel, and is in the process of raising £1.2m. She said: “In Cumbria, we are paying £100 a tonne to dispose of food waste in landfill. I thought there were better ways of dealing with it.”

Lennon Glass, 15, from Cockermouth, trades as Artify making customised and bespoke wool rugs. He said: “I do school work on weekdays and make rugs at the weekend. All the rugs are from UK-sourced wool and profits go to the WI.”

Bethany Goodall, 24, of Workington, established the Lake District Academy of Theatre Arts to provide affordable musical theatre workshops. She said: “Having one-to-one sessions with a mentor gave me a real insight into how to sell my idea. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do that.”

Three of the participants could not be there in person but told their stories through pre-recorded presentations.

Josh Coombe, 15, from Whitehaven, used his grant to buy printing equipment for JC Stitch and Style, which offer fully customisable clothing and mugs.

Luke Eilbeck, 18, of Wigton, has set up Mad4Kit selling vintage secondhand football memorabilia while studying for his A-levels.

And Jack Fleming, 19, from Whitehaven, runs JF Entertainment, a mobile DJ service, which has expanded thanks to Positive Enterprise.

The guest speaker was Sally Phillips, founder of Chimney Sheep in Workington, which makes draught excluders from Herdwick wool. She offered advice and encouragement to the participants.

“I’ve always taken it one step at a time, and now I employ 14 people with a turnover of £2.2m,” Sally said. “It’s not always been fun and games, things do go wrong, but I just ride the wave. I hope you all have adventures as well.”

David Beeby, Chair of Cumbria Community Foundation, added: “We’ve heard different stories from different personalities with different approaches. Every one of them was very impressive. I wish the young entrepreneur all luck in what they’re doing. Business is hard work but you need luck as well.”

Cumbria Community Foundation hopes to repeat Positive Enterprise in 2024.

The programme is funded by the Cumbria-based property developer Brian Scowcroft with match funding from Sellafield Ltd as part of its Transforming West Cumbria programme, the Low Level Waste Repository Ltd (LLWR), Well Whitehaven, Morgan Sindall and Kaefer.

Samantha McKenzie, of Nuclear Waste Services, thought it money well spent. She said: “One of the priorities for the LLWR as a funder is to help young people to develop their skills and knowledge and to be the best they can be. Every single one of them has done that.”

And Laurie Crayston, an entrepreneur who acted as a mentor to Josh Coombe, said: “I like to think that I gave him useful pointers. Every issue he encountered was something I’d had to deal with my own business at some point.”

A new initiative to encourage more people into youth work in Cumbria has been hailed as a resounding success and is already transforming lives.

Better Tomorrows was launched by David Beeby, Chair of Cumbria Community Foundation and a former High Sheriff of Cumbria, to address what he describes as a “huge gap” in youth work provision.

In the first year of the three-year programme, over 30 people have participated in the accredited training, 19 organisations have been funded, providing 26 new youth worker roles and nearly 4,000 hours of new youth work has been delivered. You can read the first year evaluation here.

Speaking at a Cumbria Community Foundation event to mark the first anniversary, David said: “I felt that young people had made sacrifices for the older generation in the first year of the Covid pandemic, in terms of their education and opportunities, and we needed to redress that.

“We had conversations about what was missing and came across compelling evidence that quality youth work makes a real difference to the outcomes for young people, yet funding for youth work has been cut dramatically.

“It has been a privilege to try and do something about that. I hope now that youth work is being recognised as a career and as an opportunity.”

Better Tomorrows is investing more than £1 million over three years to pay for accredited youth work training. Alongside the training, which is delivered in-person by Cumbria Youth Alliance, it also offers multi-year grants up to £75,000 to community organisations that set up or provide new youth work opportunities for local people.

More than 70 people attended the celebratory event at the University of Cumbria’s Learning Gateway in Carlisle, a mix of funders, funded organisations and youth workers who have undergone training.

Over 40 funders have contributed to the programme, including the Community Foundation, Francis C Scott Trust, Four Acre Trust, LLWR, many local businesses and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, which is contributing £75,000.

Mike Johnson, Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: “High-quality youth work has a crucial role to play in supporting young people to achieve their potential. They gain confidence and competence, develop self-assurance, and can establish high expectations and aspirations for themselves. This is why it is vital that we provide qualified youth workers across Cumbria.”

The most powerful moment came when Erin Beaty and AJ Fell, two young people who regularly attend Carlisle Youth Zone, explained how youth work has changed their lives for the better.

AJ said: “Opportunities are coming left, right and centre for me now. I’m going to university to do music and that’s only because of the Youth Zone. I started music when a staff member there threw a guitar at me and said, ‘Learn that!’.”

Erin added: “I’ve made some of my closest friends through the Youth Zone. I couldn’t have met them anywhere else because we go to different schools.”

The organisations to have received support from Better Tomorrows include Euphoric Circus, a charity operating in Penrith, Appleby and Alston that engages with young people by training them in circus skills.

Development Officer Toni Spence said: “The funding has benefited us massively. It has formalised what we can offer in terms of training people in youth work and it has made the quality of what we deliver much higher.”

Another beneficiary is South Whitehaven Youth Partnership, which works with young people between the ages of eight and 18. Representative Jacq Carty said: “We’ve got three years of funding and, by the end of year one, we’ve been able to engage with an additional 107 young people as a result.”

Better Tomorrows is scalable, and it can make an even bigger difference with further funding. For more information, or to make a donation, click here or call 01900 825760.

It has been a year since the Cumbria Home from Home Fund was set up to provide a way for holiday let and second homeowners to give back to the communities where their properties are located.

The initiative was developed by Cumbria Community Foundation in response to growing concerns about the impact of second homes and holiday lets in the county.

As the 2023 holiday season gets underway, the Foundation explains why the Fund was created and how people can support it.

An increase in the number of second homes and holiday lets is a double-edged sword for Cumbria’s economy and communities. Holiday lets attract tourists to the county and those tourists spend money in our communities. But they also reduce the number of people able to live locally and begin to erode the fabric of communities.

This has a knock-on effect on other tourist facing businesses, particularly in the hospitality industry, who struggle to find local employees.

Westmorland and Furness Council covers most of the Lake District where it is estimated that up to a quarter of homes may be owned by non-residents. The council voted in March 2023 to double the council tax bills of second homeowners. However, that increase will only apply to those who do not let their house out for the minimum number of days to qualify as a holiday let.

Holiday lets do not pay council tax as they qualify for business rates (and most do not pay business rates as they qualify for relief). This leaves local councils with less revenue to pay for local services and holiday let owners with a windfall of no council tax or business rates to pay.

Andy Beeforth OBE, CEO of Cumbria Community Foundation, commented: “The beauty of the Lake District often disguises the fact that too many of our residents are experiencing hardship. The significant increase in the number of holiday lets in the past few years has reduced the availability of housing for local people as well as reducing the council tax revenue which pays for local services.

“It seems only right that some of the windfall that holiday let owners receive from not paying council tax or business rates should find its way back into the local communities that host their holiday let properties. The Cumbria Home from Home Fund is the perfect mechanism for this.”

Donations to the Cumbria Home from Home Fund support projects in and around the Lake District that foster a strong sense of community, encourage social connections and improve wellbeing. Funds have contributed to a number of projects including provision of a warm hub in Grasmere, kitchen facilities for a village hall near Kirkby Lonsdale and an art installation featuring 15,000 ceramic daffodils at Lowther Castle.

Wherever possible, donations to the fund are distributed in the town or in the vicinity of the property so that donors can be assured that their money is being returned to the communities that host their property.

To highlight the need for this Fund and how holiday and second homeowners can get involved, the Foundation has produced a short video which can be found here and more details on the Cumbria Home from Home Fund can be found on the Foundation’s website www.cumbriafoundation.org/cumbria-home-from-home-fund/

To make a donation to the Cumbria Home from Home Fund, visit here. All donations are welcome and will go to supporting Cumbria’s communities.

We suggest a minimum annual donation of £500 for properties that sleep up to 6 people, £1000 for those that sleep up to 10, and £1500 for those that sleep 11 and above.

Cumbria Community Foundation has been providing a helping hand to the people of Cumbria for more than 20 years.

The money we raise through the support of our generous donors funds the grants that we distribute to charities and voluntary groups across Cumbria. Those charities and groups provide a lifeline to many people and the grants help them to continue and expand their vital work.

Since 1999, we’ve distributed over £60 million in grants to more than 4,000 organisations and 8,000 individuals in Cumbria, funding a variety of projects; improving access to mental health support, advice and guidance for those in financial hardship, increasing employability and training opportunities, supporting early intervention and education programmes, food provision, tackling homelessness and ensuring young people can access youth clubs.

We’re proud of what has been achieved to date but, knowing that there is always more to be done, we launched our ambitious new five year strategy yesterday.

To respond to the needs in our communities, we aim to grow our sustained long-term grant making to a minimum of £6 million per year by 2028. To do that, we plan to increase awareness of the work we do and inspire more people, families, businesses and larger companies and institutions to donate through the Foundation, which can then be channelled to where needs are most pressing in the county.

Our new five year strategy is timely. It is being launched in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis that hit while we were all still recovering from the social and economic challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Living standards and life expectancy are falling, and needs are increasing.

It goes without saying that living in Cumbria has some serious upsides. We’ve got a World Heritage Status landscape with good people who look out for each other. But life in the county can also, for many people, be really tough. Our beautiful landscape hides intense poverty and lack of opportunity, all of which is exacerbated by rural isolation and lack of access to services.

We know our county very well. We commission and produce research reports to identify the issues facing communities in Cumbria and also their strengths. Using evidence-based data and insights, we will produce further reports to evidence local need, shed a spotlight on issues that need addressed, and ensure everyone can achieve their potential.

There are a number of different ways people and businesses can give back to their community through the Foundation – one off or regular donations, a membership scheme, legacy gifts, hosting fundraising events to name a few. Our current core of supporters have helped build an endowment of over £26 million which helps ensure community projects are supported for the long term. With new supporters working alongside current fundholders and partners, the plan is to build that endowment to £40 million over the next five years.

We’re determined to improve the lives of local residents and strengthen communities. We want to ensure that Cumbria is a place where needs are met, and everyone can reach their potential.

Read our new five year strategy.

If you’d like to get involved, contact us by sending an email or calling 01900 825760.

Full fibre broadband company Fibrus, who is currently rolling out their network in Cumbria, is delighted to announce its partnership with the Cumbria Community Foundation. This new fund, which launches today and is named the “Fibrus Community Fund Cumbria” aims to award funding to local communities in need of support.

The fund’s main goal is to support those experiencing digital poverty in rural areas, with a particular focus on grassroots organisations and community groups. Successful grants will be allocated to support on-the-ground digital technology projects which make key differences to communities, enhancing people’s lives and wellbeing. A particular focus will be placed on children, young people and older people who could benefit from digital support.

Fibrus Chief Executive Officer, Dominic Kearns, said: “Fibrus is committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. We will invest £60,000 in the Fibrus Community Fund Cumbria in 2023, to give back to some of the organisations doing wonderful work to enhance and support towns and villages across Cumbria.

“We’re looking for projects specifically aimed at young people who need greater access to technology or connectivity, as well as initiatives that combat digital exclusion amongst those more vulnerable in our society. We hope many local groups and community organisations get involved and look forward to hearing more about your fantastic work.”

Jenny Benson, Director of Programmes and Partnerships at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Fibrus to deliver this important new grant making fund in Cumbria. Digital connectivity has increasingly become a daily necessity for us to live our lives, particularly in rural areas. However, the most vulnerable members of our communities often struggle to afford, access or use digital technologies.

“With Fibrus’ generous support, we will be able to offer grants to community organisations to enable them to help younger and older people become more digitally connected and to access a range of online tools, from grocery shopping and training, to new employment opportunities.”

Fibrus launched a similar fund via the Community Foundation Northern Ireland in September 2021 which will have provided a total contribution of £120,000 by the end of 2023. Some examples of the projects supported so far include the provision of devices to help children with special needs communicate in a way more comfortable for them, and iPads for young people to support with education.

To learn more information or to apply to the fund, click here.

High Sheriff of Cumbria, Alan McViety, welcomed people from around the county to an award ceremony recognising their tireless efforts to enhance and enrich the places where they live.

Individuals, community and voluntary-led groups, who often go unrecognised for their outstanding efforts, came together on Tuesday 21st March to celebrate their achievements and receive recognition and awards from the High Sheriff.

Mr McViety has visited voluntary organisations around the county during his year of office, learning more about their work.

Around 40 guests attended the ceremony, held at Roundthorn Country House Hotel in Penrith. The High Sheriff handed out 16 certificates alongside grant awards of £8,000 and issued three recipients with the prestigious High Sheriff’s Shield.

Ending his shrieval year with a celebration, Mrs McViety, said: “I was delighted to hold my awards where I had the opportunity to recognise the dedication and hard work of the various recipients. During my time as High Sheriff, I have met some wonderful volunteers dedicating their time to enhancing the life of their communities and making a difference to people’s lives. It is a privilege to have had this opportunity to recognise and honour just a few of them.”

Right2Work was recognised for its work with young people. Director, Sue Green, said: “The Youth Futures programme has been an excellent springboard for many young people who have been experiencing personal difficulties or setbacks. Mandy Morland, who has lead responsibility, has delivered a personalised and effective programme that has changed the lives of many young people and their families. We are all extremely proud at Right2Work of receiving the High Sheriff Award.”

The awards are part of the High Sheriff’s Fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, and publicly recognise both charities and individual volunteers who help improve their communities.

Annalee Holliday, Senior Grants & Programmes Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “There are an extraordinary number of voluntary and non-profit organisations working at the heart of our communities, and this is an opportunity for them to receive the recognition and support they deserve.”

The High Sheriff is one of the oldest Crown Offices, dating back to before the Battle of Hastings. As the Sheriff’s powers increased, they were considered to be a threat and in 1540 Henry VIII created Lord Lieutenants to take over the military duties. To this day, both the Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff are appointed by, and are representatives of, the Sovereign with the High Sheriff being responsible for law and order – keeping the King’s Peace.

In partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund, Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Government has announced the Know Your Neighbourhood fund, a package of up to £30 million to create volunteering opportunities and increase connections across the country.

Cumbria Community Foundation is delighted to be distributing over £1 million of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund over the next two years to support initiatives in Barrow that can help to boost volunteering and tackle loneliness, help participants improve their mental and physical wellbeing, develop new skills and form social connections.

Eight projects have already received a share of £135,000 supporting initiatives such as telephone befriending to providing activities for socially isolated fathers. Funding has been awarded to those who do not usually have access to volunteering opportunities.

The Well Communities received £47,663 to develop a trauma informed volunteer training programme. Ged Pickersgill, Senior Development Manager, said: “We are reactive to the changing needs of the community and this funding will drive social activism and behavioural health change activity in Barrow with a professional and robust approach to volunteer engagement and development. 90% of our staff in Barrow started their journey as volunteers.

“The ‘Grow Your Own’ model will be developed and formalised by a number of national key strategists and scholars which will create a localised blueprint for lived experience volunteer recruitment, engagement and supervision.”

Love Barrow Families received £17,673 to encourage more fathers in the area to join its Community Dads’ Group. Volunteer, Penny Forrest, said: “The existing group members feel that the camaraderie and sense of belonging they have found since joining has improved their wellbeing and enjoyment of life, and they feel more confident and purposeful. This grant will enable us to publicise and grow the group, and we are excited about being able to involve more dads and extend the range of activities we can offer. Up until now the group has been limited as it operated on a shoestring budget, and we are so grateful that we can now obtain the resources and equipment we need to be able to develop and take the group to the next level.”

A Stitch Different CIC provides meaningful activities and real-life work experience for people living with disabilities. A grant of £3,788 allowed the social enterprise to run a ten-week pilot to work with older adults who have anxiety or other mental health issues, and to encourage parent carers to volunteer and reduce the feelings of isolation, while learning new skills.

Amanda Bland, Founder, said: “The project is proving a big success especially with carers and individuals struggling with anxiety. Those attending are saying how they are loving trying new things, meeting new people, accessing support, gaining confidence to be more involved in the community and not feeling so lonely or isolated.”

The College House Community Hub, run by Groundwork NE & Cumbria, received £22,453 to expand the services on offer. Victoria Myers, Project Manager, said: “The funding will allow us to extend the range of activities and services provided by both Groundwork and local organisations to the residents of Hindpool. The aim is to reduce loneliness and social isolation, improve health and wellbeing, skills and confidence, and help the residents to feel more socially connected within the community.”

Grants were also awarded to Age UK Barrow, Barrow and District Disability Association, Barrow Forward, Cumbria Addictions, Advice and Solutions (CADAS) and Groundwork North East and Cumbria.

The second round of funding will re-open for applications in April.

Jenny Benson, Director of Programmes & Partnerships, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support meaningful and impactful activities in Barrow that encourage volunteering and tackle chronic loneliness. Our first round of grants from the DCMS Know Your Neighbourhood Fund have supported a diverse range of activities tackling social isolation and improving wellbeing through the power of volunteering. We welcome applications from organisations in Barrow for the next round in April.”

For more information visit, click here, or call the grants team on 01900 820827 or email grants@cumbriafoundation.org

Funding is available for charitable community organisations and social enterprises to provide business support and to encourage local people with enterprising ideas.

Managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, the UKSPF – E23 Strengthening Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Fund will provide grants of up to £25,000 to support both the creation of new enterprises and the development of existing businesses.

Thanks to funding from both Allerdale Borough Council and Copeland Borough Council, the aim of the fund is to spread a culture of enterprise, create local jobs and boost community cohesion by providing a range of support for new and existing businesses.

Mayor of Copeland, Mike Starkie, said: “I’ve always believed that entrepreneurs are key to growing our economy and finding new ways of doing business. Investment and support are key to their success, and I encourage all eligible organisations to look at the criteria and apply.”

The fund will offer revenue support to organisations that aim to strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems, and can cover project running costs, staff salaries and small equipment costs.

The fund was set up thanks to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which was launched in April 2022 and is part of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda. It aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

Annalee Holiday, Senior Grants & Programmes Officer at the Foundation, said: “Local businesses play such an important role in the Cumbrian economy and wider communities and we’re very fortunate to have some strong, pro-active communities where there’s no shortage of amazing ideas. We hope the funding will inspire, encourage, and nurture, both new and existing entrepreneurs in West Cumbria. All they often require is a little expert know-how to help them get new services up and running.”

The closing date for applications is 10am on Monday 27th February 2023.

To find out more or to apply, click here or contact annalee@cumbriafoundation.org