Author: Cumbria Community Foundation
New skills, new confidence, new business launched
A project designed to get people out of unemployment and back into work 
has led to one young woman launching her own business.
Thanks to almost £100,000 in grant funding, the Skills 4 You project in Cleator Moor has boosted confidence and given hundreds of people skills to make positive changes and get them back into employment.
One such person is Lisa from Cleator. She lost her job and was feeling low. She found the Skills 4 You project, which teaches woodcraft and upcycling to help people who have a chronic lack of confidence, caused by mental or physical health challenges.
When Lisa joined the craft group, she was feeling anxious, having regular panic attacks and suffering from depression. But, determined to try lots of craft techniques, she quickly got the hang of decoupage and painting, so much so that in 2018, she started her own business upcycling and re-purposing old furniture and mirrors.
Lisa said: “The course was a major influence; it gave me the inspiration and 
confidence to start my own business after a terrible time in my life”.
The future now looks bright for Lisa. She is enjoying her new adventure, learning new skills as she develops her business and selling her unique furniture through social media. She explained: “It’s a fantastic feeling to take a piece of furniture that nobody wants anymore and turn it into a centre piece that will be cherished by its new owner.”
Christina Timney, Grants and Information Officer at Home to Work, said: “We are so pleased that we were able to be part of Lisa’s journey through the rough times to where she is now.”
Lisa’s story is a familiar one, and although Lisa has an array of qualifications and many years of experience behind her, West Cumbria has high levels of unemployment, where a shocking one in four adults living in Copeland have no qualifications.
Trying to address this issue is the Skills 4 You project, run by social enterprise, Home to Work, by providing training opportunities to local residents. The project was launched in 2014 and has been supported by Cumbria Community Foundation for the last four years, to offer practical skills, mainly to 16 – 24 year olds, and a range of short courses to help people get on to mainstream accredited courses.
The eight-week training offers the opportunity to learn woodworking and crafting in an on-site workshop. Alongside the practical training, the course offers mentoring, support in writing a CV and how to perform in a job interview. It also looks at the social skills in life which can support mental health and wellbeing.
The activities on offer include restoring furniture, recycling salvaged timber to make garden furniture, planters or picnic tables, and creating simple wooden items like small toys, bird boxes, bird tables and sandpits.
The training course also helped Joe from Whitehaven. He left school at 16 with six GCSEs and had numerous jobs over the years. However, when he became unemployed, he started at Skills 4 You as by then, he had 4 children and wanted to be able to support his family.
Joe competed the Skills 4 You programme and went on to work in grounds maintenance. He said: “The Skills 4 You programme gave me the confidence and motivation that I needed to tackle the labour market. I was approached by Home to Work to apply for an apprentice position working with the Whitehaven Lengthsman scheme. I was delighted to be offered the job, working towards an NVQ in amenity horticulture.”
Christina continues: “We are so proud of what our clients and the project has achieved. Our team has formed relationships with local people, many of whom lacked confidence, were in poor physical and mental health, and had no opportunity to learn new skills, as well as employers who advertise vacancies with us.”
Home to work was first supported by the Foundation in 2007. £998 from the Sellafield Site Fund replaced old garden equipment for the Works 4 You project, developed to generate income by providing grounds maintenance services and employment to the local community. The garden scheme had been running for 6 years and the grant contributed to 2 lawnmowers and 2 strimmer’s to enable the charity to deliver garden services to the elderly and deprived communities of Cleator Moor, Frizington and Workington.
The great escape
Described by one member as “The Great Escape”, Caldbeck’s heart-warming community project “Men in Sheds” provides a perfect social haven for men to share their love of woodwork and a bit of a ‘craic’.
Men in Sheds is exactly as it sounds, a shed known as the Old Joiners Workshop where men can seek friendship and pursue their practical interests. It’s a larger version of an ideal garden shed, located by the very beautiful, but secluded, Caldbeck Pond. It’s accessed by residents from the local area, often with the help of volunteers due to their age and isolation. Stepping inside you will discover a friendly, safe and inclusive environment where members share tools and resources to work on projects of their own choice at their own pace.
One member Bert, who is 90, and would normally be very isolated and alone, said: “I live for Tuesdays and Thursdays.” The atmosphere is welcoming and warm as the sun shines through the dusty windows and the smell of bacon butties and warm wood fills the air. This is the place to be if you want to enjoy the companionship of likeminded and caring friends. An absolute need in this area for people like Bert, where issues including fuel poverty, and lack of facilities, services and transport affect them.
The project meets twice a week and has more than 30 regular attendees. It not only provides respite for carers but a refuge for older men – some with early onset dementia. They also repair notice boards, vintage motorbikes and playgrounds. Their latest activity is making benches for Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
The vast number of projects, managed by Northern Fells Group, has received almost £200,000 in grants administered by Cumbria Community Foundation since 2004.
Libby Graham, Fundraising Coordinator, said: “The support offered by Cumbria Community Foundation and the grant aid we have received over the last 13 years, has been invaluable to the organisation and the communities of the seven parishes we serve. It has enabled the Northern Fells Group to pilot new initiatives, to expand our services and has provided the sustained continuity required to build and support our volunteer base, to ensure that our services are of the highest quality and to help us to continue to meet the changing needs of our users.”
The Men is Sheds project continues to go from strength to strength. The Shed Master, Ken Graham and volunteers are self-admitted ’a bunch of big kids in old bodies.’ The members also support their local pub and meet every week with family members to have tea and a catch up.
Northern Fells Group is a community owned and volunteer led charity. Covering 200 square miles of upland terrain where 4,000 residents live, work and play who can also be vulnerable, isolated and excluded from vital services.
To respond to needs of the local community, the charity developed a range of services in addition to Men in Sheds, including a community minibus, a Village Agent service, a Lend a Hand scheme, benefits awareness advice and holiday play schemes, along with social and recreational activities.
Over its time the group has helped many people. One gentleman has lived in the village since he retired from farming. Over the last few years, he suffered from high levels of anxiety, which meant that phone calls and any letters or bills caused a great problem. Small things easily overwhelmed him and he lost confidence in himself. The group provided social activities for him to attend on a regular basis such as Men in Sheds, where he was a regular for many years until going into a care home. He also attended lunch groups and other social activities run by the NFG. The Village Agent assisted him with ordering household aids and with sorting and filing bills and contacting utility providers. He used the minibus regularly when he gave up driving. He also used the Lend a Hand service to fit bathroom aids for safety.
Libby continues: “Residents face day-to-day issues like poor or no public transport, poor health and loneliness, and low incomes stretched by rising fuel prices. New people to the area and long term residents often don’t have family support networks.
“The grants mean that our services can continue to provide a lifeline for older, disabled and vulnerable people and are greatly valued by the wider community.”
Fundraisers brave the cold for charity sleep out
The yellow weather warning didn’t stop more than 60 eager campers giving up their warm homes over the weekend for a cold, wet and windy night under the stars to help older people stay warm in winter.
The Big Sleep is an annual event organised by Cumbria Community Foundation to raise money for their Winter Warmth Appeal, which supports older people in Cumbria who struggle to pay their heating and fuel bills in the colder months.
With temperatures around 2 degrees and dropping to nearly zero in the night campers enjoyed the friendly atmosphere while Little Sleepers were kept entertained by storyteller Ian Douglas and a family movie. Volunteers from Calderwood House, a homeless hostel in Egremont, kept everyone warm with their speciality coffee, and English Lakes Hotels provided the evening meal and breakfast rolls in the morning.
Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of the charity, said: “We’ve had another fantastic year at the Big Sleep and a huge thank you to everyone who took part or who supported them. Since we launched the event six years ago, it has raised more than £100,000 and this money makes a huge difference enabling us to continue our work, helping older people within our community.
“Extra funding is always great, but awareness is even better, and we want people to understand what fuel poverty is and how it affects people. The money raised will be used to provide grants to some of the poorest, most vulnerable older people in the county. Thank you to everyone who took part or supported the participants.”
Quotes from people around the county – images available on request to go with each quote:
Nicol Moffat and Rosie Edge from Maryport and Cockermouth, Home Group. Nicol said: “We work for Home Group, a local housing association, and we have had a lot of customers who are in fuel poverty and thought it would be a great idea to raise awareness.”
Kendal Event Medics provided first aid cover in-kind as they “wanted to support a great cause.”
Workington Fire Cadets, Keegan Milligan and Liam Sharples from Workington. They said: “We are raising money for people who are struggling to heat their homes in the winter, this is a great cause and we hope to raise £100 each, it will be great fun but very, very cold.”
Beth Nicholls from PPM Ltd. Beth said: “I work for PPM Ltd, in housing and property maintenance and we come across people living in fuel poverty – having to choose between “eat or heat”. This is a great opportunity to fundraise with our partners at Home Group. The cold weather really drives home the reality of how cold conditions can affect people in the winter months.”
Eve and Bethan Handy from South Lakes said: “It’s a great cause and a fun night.”
Laura Davies from Kendal: “I wanted to do something different to challenge myself. Camping right by the lake while raising money for Cumbrian people is a great idea.”
Andrew and Seth Eze (Team Brewin Dolphin) from Lancashire. Andrew said: “We are doing the Big Sleep to raise money for a brilliant cause (Winter Warmth Appeal) and to have an adventure with my son. My colleagues have done it in the past and we are looking forward to a great night of fundraising.”
Mark Barrow, Jenna Nixon, Sarah Wright from H&H Group, Carlisle and Kendal. Mark said: “The Big Sleep is something different and a great opportunity to camp by Windermere. We want to raise money for people who are experiencing fuel poverty and this is a realistic experience of how cold it can be for some people in the winter.”
Thomas Hood, Cheryl Hood, Lucy Benson, Laura Horrocks, Anita Benson, Georgina Smith and Marion Little from Napthens Solicitors in Kendal. Lucy said: “The Big Sleep is a great event to raise money for elderly people in Cumbria who are experiencing fuel poverty. We are in for a cold night and we hope to raise lots of money for a fantastic cause.”
Councillor Brian Hewitt, Vice Chairman of Lakes Parish Council, Ambleside said: “It’s my first time doing the Big Sleep for the Winter Warmth Appeal. Our county is very generous with food banks so this is a wonderful and different way to support Cumbrian people and help them to keep warm in the winter months. I personally would rather be hungry than cold, I hope to raise awareness and extra funds for this great cause.”
Team Dodd and Co, Jamie Dobson, Neil Boothman and Ian Topham from Penrith.
Jamie said: “It’s my fifth time at The Big Sleep. We are supporting Cumbria Community Foundation in raising money for the Winter Warm Appeal which helps people in Cumbria in fuel poverty which is a big issue and the government fuel allowance doesn’t go far enough and this is a great way to help those that need it.”
Simon Berry, High Sheriff of Cumbria. Simon, who is Chairman and Managing Director of English Lakes Hotels Resorts and Venues said: “I’m sleeping out for one night to raise money for people who can be cold every night, it just has to be done. It’s a privilege to be here and to support a great cause.”
Paul Lewis, Chief Finance Officer of Lakeland Limited. Paul said: “The Big sleep is a really good event to raise money for the Winter Warmth Appeal that supports local people. Cumbria Community Foundation is a great concept, it’s fantastic and I want to help support local people having just moved to the area.”
Sam Spencer – the Littlest Sleeper from Cockermouth, Mum, Joanne said: “Sam is very excited to be camping out under the stars. It’s a great atmosphere and we are enjoying our family adventure for a great cause.”
Hayden Holliday – Little Sleeper from Maryport said: “I am really looking forward to camping out tonight. It’s very cold, but we are going to brave it for this very good cause. I have raised £100 so far.”
Phoebe Collister from Whitehaven who volunteered at The Big Sleep with her friend from school, Pippa, said: “I am absolutely enjoying helping out at The Big Sleep. Everybody is so friendly and we are having a great time. It’s great to see so many people taking part to raise money for the Winter Warmth Appeal. ”
You can still donate towards the Winter Warmth Appeal.
Visit http://www.cumbriafoundation.org/winter-warmth-fund/give-to-the-winter-warmth-fund or phone 01900 825760.
Or you can send a cheque to: ‘Cumbria Community Foundation’ and write ‘Winter Warmth’ on the back. Send it to: Cumbria Community Foundation, Dovenby Hall, Dovenby, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0PN
If you or someone you know is in need of support from the Winter Warmth Appeal, please contact your local Age UK.
More images to follow soon. The Big Sleep Gallery
In safe hands
A group of women whose lives have been transformed by learning the art of manicures and pedicures are now lifting other women out of despair.
They’ve all successfully completed a course to become nail technicians in a purpose-built salon at the Gateway 4 Women centre in Carlisle and are now mentoring the next intake of students.
Gateway 4 Women is a subsidiary of Cumbria Gateway, which was set up in 2011 to address issues around homelessness, substance misuse, mental illness and domestic abuse. It offers accommodation, structured programmes, drop-in breakfast clubs, skills training and work experience opportunities plus practical and emotional support to help vulnerable people recover and develop a positive healthy future in the community.
Cumbria Gateway received its first grant of £2,500 in 2011 to help towards equipment and furnishings of 4 flats. Since then, it has received more than £107,000 in grants. Grants have helped towards a breakfast club for homeless people. The breakfast club’s aim, with the help of peer mentors, is to reach out and inspire those that might be considering a new way of life. It has on average 26 regular attendees. Other projects supported included a handy person scheme and a peer led support service to support vulnerable people across the area to access much needed help and support.
In 2017 it opened a new women’s only centre, Gateway 4 Women,
to provide vital services that were not already available in north Cumbria, and has received more than £52,000 in grants. Based in Denton Holme, the centre is an educational and therapeutic one-stop shop for vulnerable women in Cumbria. It supports women who have been the victim of domestic violence, or who are undergoing drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes, those suffering with mental health issues and other vulnerable groups.
The beauty salon is open to the public and the accredited Nail Technician Course runs from there. Last year, the funding enabled 12 women to study the nine-month course and has given them the confidence to rebuild their lives. Some have gone on to use their qualification and skills to set up their own business or to work within the centre’s in-house salon.
Nicole started at Gateway 4 Women as a client accessing the support, she said: “After building up my confidence and self-esteem by participating in the course, I started to volunteer at the centre. That led me to become a full-time member of staff, helping to run the salon and mentoring clients.”
Denise attended the course and now volunteers in the salon at the centre, she said: “This was a new start for me, learning something new. It has given me back my confidence and a chance to make new friends and a new qualification. To then go on and be able to volunteer at the salon has been amazing. Here I can gain experience in a salon environment and also make my clients feel better about themselves.”
Angela participated on the course last year, as a mentor. She said: “Personally, I really enjoyed it and it has helped my confidence in my supporting abilities. I have enjoyed working with the ladies on the course and helping them to achieve their goals.”
Emma, who also completed the course in 2018, said: “This was an opportunity to work in a safe environment and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about nails, hands and feet. It has also helped me massively with my confidence and self-esteem and to make new friends.”
The course started in January and is fully subscribed. Another 12 women will have the opportunity to learn new skills and build their confidence while working with previous students who now volunteer as mentors.
The centre wouldn’t survive without grant funding and motivated volunteers who get together and make things happen.
£28,265 Funding Boost for Barrow Community Groups
Cumbria Housing Partners Fund has granted a total of £28,265 to support the ongoing work of four projects in Barrow in Furness: Women’s Community Matters, Drop Zone Youth Projects, Marvellous Holiday Club and Love Barrow Families. Each received grants enabling them to deliver projects which directly support more than 350 people and benefit the wider community.
Women’s Community Matters has been awarded £12,000 to employ a newly qualified social worker to pilot a six month project #ibelieveyou, aimed at improving access to and availability of domestic abuse support services.
Rebecca Rawlings, Senior Officer – Women’s Community Matters said “The grant has made a huge difference to the support we are able to offer victims and survivors of domestic abuse. We want to send a heartfelt thank you to the funders. In the first 3 months the project has already supported 54 women and their children.”
Drop Zone Youth Project receives £5,451 to employ staff to deliver a healthy eating project in their four youth clubs.
Marvellous Holiday Club now has funding of £7,000 to employ two qualified teachers during the school holidays for the rest of this academic year.
Love Barrow Families was awarded £3,814 towards the installation of a new kitchen.
Janice Sharp, Assistant Director of Housing, Barrow Borough Council said:” It is a tremendous boost to have four of our community projects supported by these grants. By creating new employment we create opportunity. It is no secret Barrow in Furness is sadly ranked amongst the most disadvantaged towns in the country. As a borough council we are committed to improving the health and well-being of our communities. These projects are based in some of our most deprived areas; only by actively supporting people to aspire to more can we inspire longer term positive change for individuals and those communities. Through this funding Cumbria Housing Partners really is adding value to the communities they work in and creating better futures.”
Cumbria Housing Partners is the local procurement group for social housing landlords in Cumbria. The Cumbria Housing Partners Fund is administered by Cumbria Community Foundation.
John Clasper, Chair of Cumbria Housing Partners added: “ The funding these valued and vital projects have been awarded clearly show how the savings we make for our member landlords in buying materials, and contractors, or for repair and maintenance work on their homes is being reinvested to improve the lives of people living in our communities.”
Annalee Holliday, Grants & Donor Services Officer for Cumbria Community Foundation, said “Over the past year, the Cumbria Housing Partners Fund has invested almost £100,000 across the county to individuals, and community and voluntary organisations. The money has provided training opportunities and supported projects aimed at improving people’s employability or education, provided advice and guidance, supported and engaged people in their local community, and improved community facilities.”
For more information about Cumbria Housing Partners contact: LesleyD@cumbriahousingpartners.co.uk www.cumbriahousingpartners.co.uk
Healthy Eating Project
Andy Beeforth spends a night suspended above the Borrowdale Valley
A charity worker set out to spend a night suspended hundreds of feet above ground to highlight the plight of older people who struggle to heat their homes in winter.
Andy Beeforth, chief executive of Cumbria Community Foundation, settled down for the night on a narrow portaledge above the valley.
His adventure aimed to encourage people to join him for The Big Sleep on March 9, which will see hundreds of people camp out on the shore of Windermere to raise money for the foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal.
Despite lying still, a twist in the platform forced Andy to make a late-night retreat and climb up the rock face in the dark to complete his adventure under the stars at Surprise View near Keswick.
His adventure was supported by Brampton climber Jim Fotheringham, with permission from the National Trust.
The Big Sleep raises awareness and money for Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal – a grant-making fund which helps to keep older people warm every winter.
Mr Beeforth said: “Every year I have my own little mini challenge before the Big Sleep. I’ve slept out on the top of mountains, tried sleeping in a bed on a lake, had a nap in a bed in a cave and this was the most terrifying.
“There’s a serious reason for doing it. In a bad winter 300 older people die due to the effects of the cold weather in Cumbria. Our Winter Warmth appeal saves lives. I will do almost anything to raise awareness of the amazing difference people’s fundraising can make.”
For more information about The Big Sleep, or to donate to the appeal, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/bigsleep
High Sheriff joins charity sleepout
Simon Berry, High Sheriff of Cumbria is gearing up to bed down under the stars alongside other campers at the annual Big Sleep next month to raise money for older people this winter.
Organised by Cumbria Community Foundation, the annual Big Sleep takes place on Saturday 9th March opposite the Low Wood Bay Hotel on the shore of Lake Windermere. The event aims to raise awareness of the plight of older people who struggle to heat their homes during the cold winter months.
Simon, who is also Chairman and Managing Director of English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, said: “This years Big Sleep is doubly special for me in 2019. We all at the Low Wood Bay Resort are delighted to host the event again and as the current High Sheriff I will be sleeping out myself, helping to raise money and awareness of Community Foundations Winter Warmth Appeal. Please do sign up and come and join me and all the “Big and Little Sleepers” on the 9th of March. It is always a fun night.”
People taking part are encouraged to get sponsorship for braving the cold winter weather overnight. All money raised supports the Winter Warmth Appeal – a pot of money distributed to older, vulnerable Cumbrians via Age UK to help pay towards heating bills. Since its launch the Big Sleep has raised more than £100,000 for the Appeal, which benefits around 1,000 older people each year.
Annalee Holliday, Grants & Donor Services Officer at the Foundation, said: “The Big Sleep is by far the biggest fundraiser for the Winter Warmth Appeal. Bad winters have seen as many as 460 excess winter deaths in the county. It will be cold but it’s always a great atmosphere and I hope people are encouraged to enter and raise what they can for this very important cause.”
People can sign up to take part in the Big Sleep by visiting: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/bigsleep/ It costs £35 for adults and £5 for children. The entry fee covers refreshments, an evening meal, activities and breakfast.
If you can’t make it to Windermere, you are more than welcome to organise your own Big Sleep at home. For more information visit:
https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/bigsleep/about/big-sleep-at-home/
If you can’t join the Big Sleep but would like to donate to the Winter Warmth Appeal, visit: http://www.cumbriafoundation.org/winter-warmth-fund/give-to-the-winter-warmth-fund.
Or you can send a cheque to: ‘Cumbria Community Foundation’ and write ‘Winter Warmth’ on the back. Send it to: Cumbria Community Foundation, Dovenby Hall, Dovenby, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0PN.
Cumbrian causes receive more than £45,000.
Charitable causes across Cumbria benefiting a number of issues including culture and heritage and health and wellbeing have received a share of £46,531.
Cumbria Community Foundation awarded the money to more than 20 charitable groups at its Main Grants Panel, which takes place approximately every 10 weeks. Funding was also given to 12 individuals, 6 of which were educational course costs.
The money came from 20 grant making funds, including those set up by Westmorland Ltd, CN Group and the Cumbria Victims Charitable Trust.
Manna House in Kendal received £1,000 from the Fryer Grassroots Fund and the High Sheriff’s Crimebeat Fund. The grant will help ex-offenders stay out of prison by encouraging them to volunteer and work on a community garden.
The charity’s Prison Outreach Programme (POP) supports clients from across South Lakeland during their time in prison, through the transition period of release and when they return to the community. The focus of this transition period will be a garden project where ex-offenders who are also care leavers will find meaningful and therapeutic activity.
Says Andrea Aldridge, Chief Officer of Manna House, “We are really excited at Manna House to get our ex-offender garden project off the ground. We are delighted with our new premises on Ann Street and are looking forward to our new partnership with our old friends at Growing Well, who will help us design and create our Memorial Garden as a tribute to loved ones we have lost. Gardening is a great way to engage our clients who are homeless or vulnerably housed and this grant will ensure we get the horticulture right, as well as give our guys a progression into more committed volunteering and learning.”
Cumbria Law Centre, a community-based charity and a fully accredited legal practice, received £6,999 from the Abbeyfield Carlisle Society Over 55 Community First Fund, the Older People’s Fund and the Janetta Topsy Laidlaw Trust Fund.
Pete Moran, Head of Centre said: “We never charge a client for our services. This funding will provide support to over-55s who have problems in areas relating to debt, welfare benefits, housing and employment. In particular, we are interested in the complications that can come from changes to the Welfare Benefits system, not least of which is the roll-out of Universal Credit. We are aware that older members of our community are more likely to struggle with online application and benefit management systems. They are also more likely have complicated circumstances involving disability and sickness benefits and, for example, Carer’s Allowance.
“Our goal is to ensure that those people who come to us have safe, sustainable accommodation and a decent, dependable income.”
Eden Mencap Society received £7,244 from the Brian & Ann Clark Fund towards the development of a new accessible bathroom.
Paul Stephens, Day Services Team Manager, said: “We are all very excited to have received the grant, it was the final funding we needed to get started with the accessible bathroom, the work will start at the end of February.
We have a number of people that access our day services who currently can only stay for a maximum of 3 hours as they use wheelchairs and have to go home to use hoist facilities, this new bath room with overhead hoist will allow them to stay all day.”
Tullie House Museum in Carlisle received £856 from the Abbeyfield Carlisle Society Over 55 Community First Fund to provide a green space for the community to enjoy, learn new skills and enhance wellbeing as part of the Secret Garden project.
Anna Smalley, Head of Collections & Engagement, said: “The Secret Garden is a safe, accessible community garden funded by the Postcode Local Trust and designed and created by a huge range of community partners including TCV, Unity, Carlisle Mencap, Cumbria Youth Services, and many local businesses who volunteered staff time to support the project. Throughout this spring and summer we will be running a series of drop-in gardening clubs for families, community groups and adults living with dementia and their carers, and providing access to this inspirational space for NHS groups.”
Ellen Clements, Grants & Donor Services Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “There are many worthy organisations around the county that continue to provide help to the local communities. We are ever grateful to the generosity of our fund holders to enable us to support these vital services.”
The closing date for the next main grants panel is 2nd April 2019. For more information, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org or call a member of the grants team on 01900 825760.
Charity on the lookout for Cumbrian photograph
Cumbria Community Foundation is appealing for photographs to help celebrate its 20th-anniversary.
The charity is publishing a book of photos and staging an exhibition to highlight its work over the last two decades and wants to hear suggestions for images to include in the project.
The Foundation has already selected 19 images that cover everything from the floods and the Foot and Mouth crisis to small community projects it has funded and is launching this appeal to find the final, 20th photograph.
Over the last 20 years, the Foundation has raised millions to help thousands of individuals and community groups and it hopes the public will come forward and suggest a picture to complete the book.
Photographs should either illustrate an aspect of work that has been helped by funding from the Foundation and could be anything from a sporting club in action to a landscape photograph, or an image that shows the community spirit of Cumbrians.
A photograph will be selected from all the nominations to be included in a book to be published in April and an exhibition that will tour Cumbria as part of a year of special events called ‘Giving Back, Looking Forward’.
Annalee Holliday, Grants and Donor Services Officer at the Foundation, said: “We’re hoping that individuals and organisations will help us celebrate our anniversary by coming forward with the best picture that illustrates their work.
“We’ve already got 19 amazing photos to include in this project and we thought it would be a nice way to complete it by hearing from the people we’ve helped over the years about what image they’d like to include.”
Anyone wishing to suggest a photograph to include in Cumbria Community Foundation’s book can do so by either emailing annalee@cumbriafoundation.org or via the Foundation’s social media channels (@cumbriacf on Twitter or www.facebook.com/cumbriafoundation), which are using the hashtag #thankyouCCF to appeal for photos.
Photographs should be of a high resolution and should be submitted no later than 15th February.
West Cumbrian causes awarded a share of £280,000
Community projects across West Cumbria tackling a range of issues including anti-social behaviour, health and wellbeing and unemployment have received a share of more than £280,000.
Cumbria Community Foundation awarded the money to more than 50 charitable groups at its quarterly West Cumbria grants panel. Funding was also given to 25 young people towards academic study and foreign travel.
The money came from 23 grant making funds, including those set up by local corporate businesses such as Lamont Pridmore, Shepley Engineers and United Utilities.
Egremont Youth Partnership received £5,000 from the Lord Egremont Fund. James Bowden, Youth Centre Manager, said: “The youth group is grateful and delighted to have received support this year from Lord Egremont towards our core running costs, we entirely dependent on grant aid and fundraising. The need for youth provision within the town is high and the work we will deliver as part of this funding is essential to our young people. Over the next year we will continue to provide a varied programme for the young people of Egremont and the surrounding community with our variety of sessions delivered over 3 nights a week.”
Silloth on Solway Sport’s Association received £10,000 for a planned multi use games area from the Hellrigg Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund. Colin Baty, Assistant Secretary, said: “We are installing a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) in the town and this money will be used in the excavation and preparation of the area before a 3G Astro Turf can be laid.
“The MUGA will greatly enhance the outdoor sport’s facilities in Silloth, especially during the dark winter months as there is currently no provision with adequate lighting for the local community to access.”
Last year, Cleator Moor Celtic Football Club was promoted into the Hallmark Security Football League Division One North, which is Step 6 in the FA football pyramid but needed to undertake pitch improvements work to play in the League. Thanks to a grant of £10,000 from the United Utilities Legacy Fund, work can now begin. David Graham, Project Manager, said: “The aim is to bring the pitch up to recognised Sport of England standards for winter pitch use. The money will also act as match funding when we apply to the Football Stadia Improvement Fund.”
Cumbria Police Community Support Officer said: “The club is an excellent environment for the younger members of the community and it also provides an outlet for their parents who regularly attend the club on a social basis. It plays an important part in the whole community and is an essential teaching tool that provides children with a sense of pride and hopefully inspires them to continue to excel in the field of sports.”
1st Seaton Scout Group can now build a brand-new community facility after receiving £30,000 from the United Utilities Legacy Fund. The current scout hut is nearly 85 years old and has been on the same site in the village for more than 40 years. After successfully fundraising to develop a new facility, the grant from United Utilities was the last bit of funding the group needed to begin the building work.
Mike Ditchburn, Acting Chairman of the Scout Group, said: “It felt like Christmas had come early when we were told by Cumbria Community Foundation that we had been awarded a grant of £30,000 from the United Utilities Legacy Fund on 20 December 2019.”
Brian Hemming, who is working on behalf of 1st Seaton Scout Group to raise funds for the new facility, said: “On telling the group of the good news, it was decided that we should all start the New Year by polishing up picks and spades and start on the site this year. The whole group, including our 70 scouts, wish to thank Cumbria Community Foundation and United Utilities, and the whole community for supporting us in achieving our target.”
The closing date for the next West Cumbria grants panel is 22nd February 2019. For more information, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org or call a member of the grants team on 01900 825760.