Health, voluntary and community organisations across North Cumbria are working together to encourage more people to access the outdoors and benefit from the positive effects of the natural world around them.

Money from the North East and North Cumbria ICB has established the Green Social Prescribing Fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation. Grants of up to £5,000 are available to charitable organisations in North Cumbria to provide nature-based activities, which have been shown to help people improve their health and wellbeing.

Activities could be anything from local walking groups, community garden projects, and talking and exercise therapies but projects that target specific groups of people will be prioritised, such as those with chronic health conditions including cancer, respiratory, hypertension; refugees; ethnically diverse people; LGBTQ or Gypsy, Romaine, Traveller (GRT).

Groundwork North East & Cumbia is supporting charitable groups to develop their projects and improve networks and referral pathways with Social Prescribing Connector teams.

Working across North Cumbria, Groundwork will ensure the programme will increase knowledge and awareness of nature-based activities, highlighting some of the excellent new and existing projects, as well as ensuring that those who prescribe into the programme are fully informed of what’s on offer.

Craig Drummond, Employment Programmes Manager at Groundwork, said: “This programme is designed to bring those together who socially prescribe with those who deliver nature-based solutions across Cumbria. Specifically, underserved populations in North Cumbria that are at risk of experiencing health inequalities, to improve their mental wellbeing and overall health.

“There is consistent evidence that engagement with nature is beneficial in terms of physical activity and increased mental wellbeing. This programme will bring together those who refer in and those who deliver green and blue social prescribing services, as well as identifying current gaps and barriers to access existing provision and taking positive action to overcome those.”

Sarah Thompson, Grants & Programmes Officer, said: “We are fortunate to have access to some world-renowned green and blue spaces in Cumbria and we are delighted to be working in partnership to improve health and wellbeing, mental health and ensure those at risk of experiencing health inequalities have equal access to nature-based therapies and activities.”

To apply or for more information click here or call Sarah Thompson, Grants & Programmes Officer on 01900 825760 or email sarah@cumbriafoundation.org

Called Positive Enterprise, the competition is open to young people living in Allerdale or Copeland and aged between 14 and 25 to help bring their enterprising ideas to life.

The aim of the programme is to empower young people to think differently and break down barriers for aspiring young entrepreneurs. It is looking to back young people who have a social business idea with ambition to make it into a reality.

Developed by Cumbria Community Foundation, Positive Enterprise is funded by Cumbrian property developer, Brian Scowcroft, with match funding from Sellafield Ltd as part of its Transforming West Cumbria programme, LLWR, Well Whitehaven, Morgan Sindall and Kaefer.

Annalee Holliday, Senior Grants & Programmes Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “It is very encouraging to see more funding allocated to creating opportunities after what comes on the back of a very challenging time for young people. Positive Enterprise will help them to develop their ideas that will benefit their peers, their communities and young people of the future.”

Ten successful entrants will each be awarded £1,000 to help them realise their ambition. As well as receiving the grant, the Foundation has teamed up with the Centre for Leadership Performance to provide six months of support, including a series of workshops, expert advice, mentoring and opportunities to shadow local entrepreneurs.

Catherine Eve, Executive Director, at the Centre for Leadership Performance, said: “We are delighted to be working with Cumbria Community Foundation, the programme promotes self-belief, vision, efficacy, collaboration and resilience; a perfect development platform for young people to develop leadership skills, find their voice and promote ideas that will positively disrupt their community and lead to innovation and improvement.”

Any potential positive disruptors now have an five-week period to develop their ideas and apply by 5pm on Monday 9th January 2022. An advisory panel will meet to review all entries and winners will be announced at the end of January.

For information on how to enter here.

Community groups and organisations across Cumbria are being offered financial support to help relieve the hardship of people who are experiencing financial struggles.

The current cost of living is forcing more people across our county into poverty. Many households who were ‘just about managing’ have been hard hit along with one in eight households whose income is less than £10,000 per year.

Working in partnership with Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Community Foundation is offering funding to charitable organisations that support interventions to help people who are struggling financially.

The Community Hardship Fund is providing grants of up to £10,000 to support activities that help people in financial hardship.

Funding can be used for practical skills such as budgeting and cooking courses or to buy equipment for community lunches, and schemes that help people to meet pressing needs, such as essential household items. The grants will cover costs to sustain a service that support people in financial hardship e.g., foodbanks, food pantries and hubs and additional staff costs to deliver increased activities or coordinate a service.

The Rock Youth Project in Carlisle received a grant to support low-income families by offering regular cooking classes and twice weekly coffee mornings. Funding also contributed to the cost of purchasing a washing machine for use by the local community, and a larger oven.

Vickie Harkness, Youth Lead, said: “We adapt to the needs of the community and have opened our doors to everyone, not just those supported by our youth provision. This funding will support those who are suffering from the cost of living crisis. We plan to reduce isolation, give families a safe space to collect all the essentials whilst meeting others, and most importantly ensure they don’t need to worry about how they can afford the things that meet their basic needs.

“This project has given us the opportunity to pair up with different agencies where we can also provide entertainment for younger children to give parents and carers a well-deserved break and take part in some activities that will teach them new skills.”

Other grants have been used to provide emergency help for struggling families supported by Howgill Family Centre, and a healthy food growing project run by Cleator Moor based Home to Work.

Annalee Holliday, Senior Grants, Programmes & Communications Officer, said: “We know there is increased need across the county with food banks running out of food and more and more people unable to afford to eat or heat their homes to a safe level. This new fund will support projects that are keeping people fed and warm and provide additional practical support and advice to help people cope throughout this period of great hardship.”

To apply for funding, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/community-hardship-fund or contact Annalee Holiday via annalee@cumbriafoundation.org or on 01900 825760.

Three hundred blankets were used to create this giant image of a pensioner trying to keep warm.

The 24ft long artwork beside Hadrian’s Wall used 300 blankets – one for each life lost to the cold in a Cumbrian winter.

It was created to highlight Cumbria Community Foundation’s annual Winter Warmth Appeal on Saturday at Birdoswald Roman Fort.

The charity’s chief executive, Andy Beeforth, said: “This giant artwork reminds us that Cumbria may have stunningly picturesque landscape, but it is also a place where thousands of older folk struggle to stay warm during its winters.

“Our landscape can be as bleak as it is beautiful and, on average, in a bad winter an extra 300 people in Cumbria will lose their lives to the effects of the plummeting temperatures. We know for every one degree drop in temperature, the mortality rate increases, even in relatively mild winters.”

“We know that each of the blankets used in this artwork represents a life that will be lost because of the cold. They are someone’s mum or dad, gran or grandad, brother or sister, husband or wife. All lives that could be saved,” he added.

And this year the cost of living crisis along with rising fuel costs has prompted Colin Cox, Cumbria’s Director of Public Health to warn of a ‘major public health threat’ over the coming months.

“Difficulty in heating houses leads directly to increased lung and heart health problems and contributes to the higher rate of hospitalisations and deaths that we see over the winter, so I’m particularly worried about what might happen this year,” he said.

The image was created by Cumbrian artist Abby Kilfedder and took four hours to put together much to the amazement of walkers who chanced upon it while visiting Hadrian’s Wall. “It has been a brilliant project to work on. Hopefully it will really raise the profile of the Winter Warmth Appeal,” she said.

All the blankets are now being washed and donated to Age UK to be distributed to older folk around Cumbria.

Cumbria Community Foundation has run the appeal every year since it was launched in 2010 raising more than £1.5m to date.

This year the Foundation has set a higher target of £500,000. Any donations made between 7th November to 9th December 2022 will be doubled with match funding thanks to generous match funding champions: WCF Ltd, the John Laing Charitable Trust, Sellafield Ltd, Cumbria County Council, Roselands Trust, Nuclear Waste Services, The Johnson Fund, Brian and Ann Clark Fund, The Harvey Family Fund, The Hadfield Trust, Rural Getaways Ltd and private donors.

Andy Beeforth said: “Because of the severity of the circumstances this year we have set our highest ever target – £500,000.

“We know that Cumbrians are immensely generous, the Winter Warmth Appeal raised a record amount last year. I hope we can rise to the exceptional challenge this winter and smash the new target.
“Please donate if you can. Let’s not let the cold and the cost-of-living crisis bring misery and the risk of death to vulnerable older members of our community.”

How to support the Winter Warmth :
You can donate online using this link.

Alternatively, Cumbria Community Foundation also accepts donations by cheque or phone. To make a phone donation, please ring 01900 825760 between the hours of 9am-5pm Mon-Fri.

Health and care leaders in Cumbria are warning that older people are facing one of the toughest and potentially most deadly winters on record.

The soaring cost-of-living crisis means this winter poses a serious threat to elderly people who already struggle to afford heating at home.

Every year between 300 and 500 older Cumbrians die because of problems related to not being able to heat their homes.

Colin Cox, Cumbria’s Director of Public Health, said: “The cost-of-living crisis has overtaken Covid-19 as the major public health threat over the coming months.

“Difficulty in heating houses leads directly to increased lung and heart health problems and contributes to the higher rate of hospitalisations and deaths that we see over the winter, so I’m particularly worried about what might happen this year.

“Winter is always a particularly difficult time for many people, including those who are older and on lower incomes, and this year is likely to be exceptionally so.”

His comments come as this year’s Winter Warmth Appeal launches in Cumbria with the aim of raising £500,000 to help older people turn on their heating.

Colin Cox said: “I very much welcome the Winter Warmth Appeal as something that could really help Cumbria’s most vulnerable people in what looks set to be the hardest winter for many years.”

Last year generous Cumbrian individuals and businesses donated a record £222,819 to the Winter Warmth Appeal. This was used to make 1,319 grants, helping 1,751 older Cumbrians keep warm.

Hannah Kitching, client services manager at Age UK South Lakeland says the appeal is more vital than ever this year.

“Bluntly put, the Winter Warmth Appeal could be the difference between life and death,” she said.

“Older people are petrified and are making drastic sacrifices for fear of being unable to stay safe and well in their own homes.”

The Winter Warmth Appeal is run each year by the charity Cumbria Community Foundation which is based in Dovenby.

CCF chief executive Andy Beeforth said: “Every year many vulnerable Cumbrians have to choose between heating and eating.

“But this winter could see many more in serious difficulty because of the huge rises in the cost of energy happening at the same time as spiralling food costs. It is a perfect storm of difficulty facing older Cumbrians with limited means.

“I would ask everyone who is able, to please make a donation to the Winter Warmth Appeal, whether large or small. The money goes directly in grants to help elderly Cumbrians to turn on their heating during the coldest weather.”

Cumbria Community Foundation has run the appeal every year since it was launched in 2010 raising more than £1m. This year the Foundation has set a higher target of £500,000. Any donations made between 7th November and 9th December will be doubled with match funding.

Andy Beeforth said: “Because of the severity of the circumstances this year we have set our highest ever target – £500,000.

“We know that Cumbrians are immensely generous, the Winter Warmth Appeal raised a record amount last year. I hope we can rise to the exceptional challenge this winter and smash the new target.

“Please donate if you can. Let’s not let the cold and the cost-of-living crisis bring misery and the risk of death to vulnerable older members of our community.”

Last year a winter warmth grant proved crucial for Anthony Gorman and his wife Carol. Anthony, 78, and Carol, 81, live in Little Urswick near Barrow-in-Furness.

“I have never had anything for nothing, and I didn’t hold out much hope of getting this grant, so it was a big surprise when we did,” said Anthony.

“It made a terrific difference. I’m quite badly disabled with a serious spinal condition. I’m in constant pain and have dreadful sciatica virtually constantly.

“I can’t walk very far so I can’t move about to keep warm. With the cost-of-living crisis at the moment it’s very disturbing to see people doing without food to keep the heating on.

“I hope to God it never comes to not being able to afford heating. Cold makes the pain worse,” he said.

“To people who donate money to help the likes of myself I say, thank you very much. They absolutely make a huge difference to both of us.”

Rosemary Armstrong, 78, from Stanwix in Carlisle, says a winter warmth grant made winter bearable last year.

“The bungalow gets very, very cold,” said Rosemary. “I have to sit with my feet up in the evening because they turn to blocks of ice. My circulation is not as good as it was.”

Rosemary says she has cut down on food due to rising costs. “I have lost a stone and a half which I probably needed to do. I just don’t eat as many treats and puddings anymore.

“The winter warmth grant makes a big difference in not worrying so much about my bills and being able to keep warm.”

The Winter Warmth Appeal also proved vital for Peter Charters last year. Peter is 73 and lives in Grange-over-Sands in a rented two-bedroom flat.

A winter warmth grant meant he could keep his storage heaters on during the coldest weather.

“It was getting quite cold. I had to get the blankets out. I used to wrap myself up in a duvet,” said Peter who suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and diabetes.

“I’m quite vulnerable,” he said. “I can’t get out for exercise now because of the COPD, if I walk any distance I get out of breath.

“I am very grateful to people who have donated to the Winter Warmth Appeal. If they have the means to be able to donate, I am more than grateful, especially for people like myself who don’t have a very high income and you are stuck in that situation.”

There are many ways in which you can make a donation, find our more here.

*Carlisle artist David Lush created the attached image specially for the Winter Warmth Appeal fund report 2021-2022.

Community groups and organisations across Cumbria are being offered financial support to help people keep warm over winter.

Working in partnership with Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Community Foundation is offering funding to the voluntary and community sector to help create a network of places where people can go to keep warm and have company.

The Warm Spot Fund is providing grants of up to £1,000 per venue to expand capacity or to start up in a new venue. For example, a community centre may apply to cover the costs of providing a designated space with chairs and hot drinks, open at regular times each week, or a parish hall may want to set up a coffee morning for the first time.

Funding can be used to cover energy bills, additional staff time, volunteer expenses, provision of drinks and venue hire, as well as other relevant costs.

Cumbria County Council suggests a Warm Spot should offer a warm, heated space, ‘a warm welcome’ with at least one member of staff or volunteer, a warm drink and be open for at least two hours each week.

Cllr Deborah Earl, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health, said: “As the cost of living crisis continues, we know a lot of people are going to find it increasingly hard to heat their homes this winter and we know that being cold is a genuinely serious risk to your health. This funding is for community organisations who are looking to offer somewhere warm that people can drop-in if they’re struggling, have a hot drink and a chat if they want one. They’ll also be able to talk to people about other places they could get support. A lot of local organisations are hoping to offer this kind of support, so our intention is that this funding helps them make that a reality.”

The Warm Spots Fund has already started to award grants to provide warm spaces up and down the county, including The Salvation Army in Barrow, Moot Hall in Brampton, Kendal Town Hall, Appleby Cricket Club and The Settlement in Maryport.

Jenny Benson, Director of Programmes & Partnerships at the Foundation, said: “Communities are in great need, and we are pleased that we can support this fund by adding match funding. Community groups are doing all they can to keep people safe, feeling ok and warm against the odds. It’s our job to make sure they have the money to do so.”

The council is keen to let people across Cumbria know about these warm spaces and are setting up a WARM SPOT interactive map, which will be available on its website shortly.

Applications to the Warm Spots Fund can be submitted at any time and groups should hear the outcome of their application within 10 working days.

To apply for funding, click here or contact Annalee Holiday via annalee@cumbriafoundation.org or on 01900 825760.

Post: Age Friendly Coordinator

We are one of the county’s leading grant makers, providing much needed financial support to local community groups and initiatives that make a big difference to the lives of those in genuine need. Our aim is to change people’s lives for the better through donations from individuals, companies, charitable trusts and statutory organisations.

We’re looking to develop an Age Friendly community in South Lakeland, which aims to create a supportive, welcoming and vibrant environment for older adults. Everyone has the right to a good life as they get older and our whole society benefits when people are able to age well.

We have long recognised the importance of place-based approaches in helping people to age well. This is a pivotal role to support our ambition to build an Age Friendly community in South Lakeland. The postholder will work with partner organisations, agencies, authorities and local residents to ensure more people have an opportunity to enjoy a good later life, and to reduce inequalities in ageing.

Download the job description and application form from our website www.cumbriafoundation.org For an informal discussion about the role, contact Annalee Holliday on 01900 825760.
Closing date is 10am, Monday 14th November
Interviews will take place on 30th November 2022.

Download the job description and application form. 

For an informal discussion about the role, contact Annalee Holliday on 01900 825760.

Closing date is 10am, Monday 14th November

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 30th November 2022. A pre-interview task will be forwarded to those called for interview for completion in advance.