In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, an anonymous donor has set up a new fund to support and inspire young people in Cumbria.

The Young Persons Opportunity Fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, is open to charitable groups that work to support the development of young people, in particular those from challenging backgrounds.

The generous donor said: “In the best of times, many young people in our communities need inspiration to realise their full potential. The COVID-19 crisis has only added urgency to this, and the Young Persons Opportunity Fund seeks to help ensure that we do not lose the talents and energies of our young people”.

Potential funded projects must have an emphasis on using the outdoors to expand horizons and self-confidence and work with specific groups of young people over a period rather than single one-off sessions or events. Funding will also support the development of leadership qualities in young people, especially those who have the potential to inspire their peer group and/or their own communities.

Annalee Holiday, Grants & Donor Services Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “This is a great example of local philanthropy and how people can support their community and local young people to enjoy for years to come.”

Grants will normally be less than £20,000 over one year; however, there is no minimum or maximum award amount. Grants may be a single award, or a series of awards paid over up to three years and dependent on progress.

If you would like to apply for a grant, contact Cumbria Community Foundation on 01900 825760 or for more information visit: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/young-persons-opportunity-fund/

If you would like to know more about how you can leave a charitable legacy for your local community or a cause you care about please contact Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive on 01900 825760 or email andy@cumbriafoundation.org.

A Cumbrian man has left a lasting legacy of support to his home community of Alston Moor.

When Nenthead resident Dick Phillips died, the proceeds from the sale of his property were gifted to the Alston Moor Community Fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation.

Dick asked the Foundation to allocate his gift to the Fund so that grants could be made to give back to the community where he lived. The Alston Moor Community Fund was set up in 2006 by an anonymous donor who wanted to support the strong sense of self help and entrepreneurship that exists on the Moor. The objectives of the fund were kept deliberately wide so that it could respond to changing community need over time.

Foundation Chief Executive, Andy Beeforth, said: “I spoke to Dick about his legacy gift about 15 years ago. He was thrilled to learn that someone had created a fund for Alston Moor and wanted to do what he could to build the fund so that it could help more local groups. Dick lived for many years in the area. I first met Dick in the 1990’s when he worked for East Cumbria Countryside project. He was a kind and caring man with a strong commitment to his community. We are enormously proud to be able to carry on Dick’s legacy through the Alston Moor Community Fund. It is an amazing gesture. Because the donation is part of an invested fund the community will benefit in perpetuity.”

Cumbria Community Foundation helps individuals, families and businesses manage their charitable giving and philanthropy. As well as leaving a gift to an existing fund, people and businesses can also create a fund to support a particular charitable cause or community.

The Foundation is keen that community groups in the Alston area apply for funding through the fund. The Alston Moor Community Fund has supported more than 17 projects from helping to connect people with the arts and culture to supporting people’s physical and mental health, wellbeing and safety.

The deadline for applications is 2nd April 2021. For more information about how to apply, contact the grants team by phone 01900 825760 or by email grants@cumbriafoundation.org.

If you would like to know more about how you can leave a charitable legacy in your will for your local community or a cause you care about and/or to commemorate a loved one please contact Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive on 01900 825760 or email andy@cumbriafoundation.org.

A major research project has been launched to find out the challenges and opportunities faced by people living in Furness.

And locals are being invited to get involved.

The project has been commissioned by the charity Cumbria Community Foundation with the aim of creating a guide to what needs to be done to improve lives, and helping to attract funding to the area.

Two meetings are being held next week to brief people about the project and give people a chance to influence the report.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation, is hoping people will take the opportunity to share information about social issues in Furness and the good work that is being done in the area around them.

“This is a major piece of work that we are undertaking and we have already had detailed discussions with the councils, BAE, MP Simon Fell and others about the project. Now we are keen to engage with a wider ranger of people across the community.

“The report will look at everything from health and unemployment to education and housing as well looking at the important work that is already being done in Furness and some of the opportunities here too,” he said.

“Covid has highlighted many of these issues, but this report will not just be about the pandemic – we want to take a longer view of Furness and delve into the data,” he added.

Cumbria Community Foundation has previously produced two community needs reports: ‘Cumbria Revealed: A County of Contrasts 2017’ and ‘West Cumbria Opportunities and Challenges 2019’.

Both reports have provided an analysis of the challenges and opportunities in the county, highlighted some of the work already being undertaken to address disadvantage and identified opportunities for social impact investors to target their efforts and help communities to thrive.

Each report has provided an effective tool for securing additional investment to address priority community needs. Both documents have been widely shared, informing local policies and investment strategies. They have also been used by many third sector groups to prioritise their work and to access funding locally and nationally. Most recently the ‘West Cumbria Opportunities and Challenges 2019’ report was instrumental in helping the Foundation to secure a £2.2m social investment programme in West Cumbria in 2020, funded by Sellafield Ltd and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Two online briefings were held in February. The video below is of one of the meetings, which was held to brief people about the project and give people a chance to influence the report.

If you have would like to include your comments into the research, please email Ellen Clements: ellen@cumbriafoundation.org.

The NHS Charities Together COVID-19 Community Partnership fund, managed by County Durham Community Foundation, is now open for grants of up to £250,000 to partnership projects across the North East and North Cumbria.

Born out of public generosity, the fund has £1.4million available to support partnerships of organisations to tackle health inequality, digital poverty and fund mental health support.

During the pandemic more than £140m of charitable funds were donated by the public for great causes. The unforgettable Captain Sir Tom Moore, who was knighted for his efforts, inspired more than £30million alone in donations.

Now this money, through membership association NHS Charities Together, will fund three key themes: addressing health inequalities, support for mental health and wellbeing, and support to overcome digital poverty for vulnerable people disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Teri Bayliss, Director of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, representing the NHS charities throughout the North East and North Cumbria said: “I don’t think any of us will ever forget the way the public responded to Captain Sir Tom as he did his part to help the NHS. He inspired so many others and together, millions have been raised. It is so uplifting to see this money now become available for worthwhile projects in our communities at a time when need is so high.”

Cumbria Community Foundation is supporting County Durham Community Foundation to administer the funding.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “As a Community Foundation, we are delighted to be able to support this funding to reach where it is most needed. By supporting valuable NHS and community projects, the fund will ease some of the strain on the NHS, as its wonderful staff fight to save lives threatened by the pandemic. The fund will also provide long-term support for communities as it addresses some of the additional health problems individuals and families will face – caused or worsened by the pandemic and lockdowns.”

Applications are welcomed from projects in the following areas; Durham, South Tyneside, Sunderland, North Cumbria, Newcastle and Gateshead, Northumbria, North Tyneside and Tees Valley.

If your project is based in North Cumbria, please contact Annalee Holliday at Cumbria Community Foundation on 01900 825760 or email annalee@cumbriafoundation.org before submitting an Expression of Interest.

Expressions of Interest must be submitted by 31st January 2021, which can be accessed here.

Thanks to funding provided by NHS England, charities and community groups across the North East and Cumbria have received additional money this winter to support people experiencing hardship and at risk of mental ill health.

The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) worked with Cumbria Community Foundation and County Durham Community Foundation to directly fund voluntary sector organisations and relieve winter pressures on the wider healthcare system.

Grants of up to £25,000 were available from the NHS Winter Resilience Fund to support voluntary and community sector interventions, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in the widest sense and for all ages. Eight community organisations in Cumbria received a share of almost £100,000 and 38 in the North East benefited from just over £900,000.

Funded projects include emotional and wellbeing support specifically for older people, counselling for carers, targeted mental health support for high-risk individuals, extra capacity to support people with drug and alcohol dependencies, and professional 1-1 mental health support for anyone aged 11 and over.

Age UK Carlisle & Eden received £18,000 towards a complete holistic service offering physical, emotional, social, and financial health and wellbeing support to older people most affected by the pandemic.

Alison Ambrose, Chief Executive, said: “The NHS Winter Resilience Fund has enabled Age UK Carlisle and Eden to develop a confidential and accessible service, which supports vulnerable people and to help them through the winter months. We provide opportunities for individuals to talk confidentially and be there to offer practical and emotional support.”

Since the first lockdown in March last year, Cumbria Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service (CADAS), has been ‘business as usual’ for people with addictive behaviour, and their family members and carers, with support being offered online, via telephone and video conferencing. January can be a particularly difficult time of year for people suffering from an addiction and winter can be a trigger for many people’s mental health decline. The charity received just over £5,000 to provide additional support by increasing staff hours, while offering clinical supervision for all staff.

Chief Executive, Leigh Williams, said: “The funding will make a significant difference in a few short months. Firstly, we will be able to offer recovery support to an additional 10 people throughout north Cumbria as we increase our staff hours. Secondly, we are investing in the physical and mental health of our staff team by offering them some personal supervision so that they can continue to see and support several vulnerable people week after week as they work from home in isolated conditions themselves.”

Time to Change West Cumbria runs the Women Out West centre in Whitehaven. It received £17,250 to employ a full-time therapist to offer face to face and virtual support during winter.

Rachel Holliday, Director, said: “Lockdown during summer was awful for so many of our isolated women who were afraid and anxious. Winter, with dark nights and the cold, is far worse.

“In order to provide the best service to our most vulnerable women, we understand their complex issues need to be addressed sensitively in a trauma informed approach. We believe this service will prevent women slipping into crisis. It’s important we all have someone to turn to in these uncertain times, now we can make sure no one is left feeling alone and frightened. The Women Out West team aim to leave no one behind as we continue our fight against domestic abuse in our community.”

The Together We Talk project, led by Together We CIC provides 1-1 and small group mental health and wellbeing interventions. It received just over £25,000 to provide additional support over the winter months.

Sam Joughin, Director at Together We CIC, said: “Since the project launched in April last year, we have taken over 400 referrals and we are currently working with 300 active clients day to day. We are thrilled to receive funding as this has allowed previous funding to be extended and additionally, staff to maintain and increase clinical hours to support a wider number of people throughout the ongoing pandemic.”

If you are struggling with your mental health, the Together We Talk project can support you. Email referral@togetherwe.co.uk, call 0808 196 1773 or visit www.talk.togetherwe.co.uk

John Lawlor, Chief Executive at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and Senior Responsible Office for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System Mental Health Programme, said: “I am grateful for the support provided by Cumbria and County Durham Community Foundations, this joint working approach has enabled the winter resilience funding to reach grassroots projects that impact positively on our communities. The funding is spread throughout North Cumbria and the North East and we are confident this will make an impact on the lives of our most vulnerable residents.”

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We are passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of people living in our region and we embrace the opportunity to work collaboratively to implement positive and sustainable change. We are very proud that our voluntary and community sector organisations are increasingly recognised for their pivotal contribution across the region.

“The Fund was significantly over-subscribed with more than 150 applications received, requesting a total of £2.6 million, demonstrating the clear need for this funding and the role of the sector in responding to the needs of our local people, while reducing pressure on the NHS.”

The NHS Winter Resilience Fund is now fully spent, however, if groups still require funding, they are encouraged to contact Cumbria Community Foundation by calling 01900 825760.