On Saturday night more than 200 eager fundraisers braced the cold and spent a night under the stars in conditions which plummeted to -6 degrees during the night in aid of Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal.

The Big Sleep is an annual event organised by Cumbria Community Foundation to raise money for their Winter Warmth Fund. The fund grants money to older people within Cumbria who need support paying for their heating and fuel bills in the winter months.

Andrew Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said: “We couldn’t be happier with the number of people that turned out to support the Big Sleep. Everyone enjoyed the evening and embraced the cold weather but importantly we’ll be able to help lots of older, cold people as a result of the fundraising. Thank you to everyone who took part or supported the participants.”

“We had a heating honesty box, to have the heater on in the marquee to keep people warm people would donate money. Some people were very generous paying for hours of heating time.”

71-year-old Jim Corrigan from Wigton, entered the Big Sleep with his daughter Paula and his grandchildren Jodie and Jessica but unlike his family members, Jim had never camped out before.

“I’ve never camped in my life,” He said, “But I thought why not give it a go and do it for a good cause, to help older people and I am old.”

Evie Smith, daughter of Ian Smith, Head Teacher at St Benedict’s school, celebrated her 13^th birthday at The Big Sleep and her generous act has helped her raise more than £500 via her Just Giving page. She said: “I saw this event was for charity and I thought if I went somewhere else for my birthday I’d regret it because I wanted to do something good.”

The 1^st Workington St Johns Scouts and Beavers pitched their tent and made the most of the dry night playing games and cosing up in the Big Sleep Bed. They were kept warm in the evening with a cowboy stew courtesy of English Lakes Hotels, hot chocolates from Carvetii Coffee and bacon and egg buns in the morning.

Workers from Balfour Beatty, Jacobs and Amec Foster Wheeler, the three companies on the Box Encapsulation Project at Sellafield joined the Foundation on Saturday.

 Rachel Beech, the team organiser and Head of Supply Chain at Balfour Beatty said: “With energy prices still high, elderly people face a real problem in keeping warm during the harsh winter months. We’ll do anything for a good cause.”

Also braving the cold at the event was Helen Fisher Head of Socio-economics at Sellafield Ltd and her colleagues Dave McGrath and Alan Dunne.

The Bay Radio broadcast live from the Big Sleep site, with DJ Danny Matthews interviewing Big Sleepers throughout the night. The Bay team even slept in their broadcast gazebo and made it back to their studio in time to be on air the next morning.

Cumbria Community Foundation fund holders, Westmorland Limited, also took part in the mass charity camp out raising money for the Winter Warmth Appeal.

 You can still donate towards the Winter Warmth Appeal; phone Cumbria Community Foundation on 01900 825760 or visit our JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/WinterWarmth2014.

You can also simply send a text message to 70070 including our code WINT37. You can donate £2, £5 or £10. e.g. WINT37 £5 to 70070.

 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.

£60,000 has been donated Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal since it launched in October.

The money provides financial support to older people across Cumbria to help with their fuel bills over the winter months. However, all the available funds have been awarded and the number of people needing the grant is increasing.

The Met Office has issued a level 3 cold weather alert in the North West of England. Because of the warnings Public Health England is reminding people to look out for each other and to keep warm indoors.

Dr Angie Bone of the Extreme Events team at Public Health England said: “Cold does kill, even in places where the temperatures aren’t at their lowest. “Our advice is that when indoors, have plenty of warm food and drinks to stay warm and try to maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18C, particularly if you are not mobile, have long term illness or are 65 or over.”

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said: “There are a lot of older people in our communities that can’t sustain their energy bills in the winter. Often poor health means they need to stay warm more often, thus using more of their fuel quicker. The grants we give out give these people security and reassurance that they can afford to have their radiators on at night. But there are still a lot of people who need this support.”

Cumbria Community Foundation works with Age UK’s Carlisle and Eden, West Cumbria and South Lakeland as well as The Oaklea Trust to distribute the grants to people in their area.

Mrs Smith is a Winter Warmth Grant recipient, 71. In 2012 she was widowed and has struggled to pay full rent and council tax on her own. She said: “I spend the nights worrying about how I can pay the rent – so paying to put the boiler on is out of the question sometimes.” “My family help me, they know I struggle moving around as I get older but I like to be independent.”

“The grant was reassuring as I was able to have a nice warm house over Christmas and have a little less to worry about. It’s very reassuring to know there are people in the community helping older people financially.”

It’s very simple to donate to the Winter Warmth Appeal: Just phone Cumbria Community Foundation on 01900 825760 or visit our JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/WinterWarmth2014.

You can also simply send a text message to 70070 including our code WINT37. You can donate £2, £5 or £10. e.g. WINT37 £5 to 70070.

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.

All the money raised from Cumbria Community Foundation’s Big Sleep, taking place on Saturday 7th February at The Low Wood Bay Hotel, Windermere also goes toward the Winter Warmth Appeal.

Last year the event raised £23,000 for the cause and The Foundation hopes fundraisers will raise more this year. There are already over 120 people signed up to take part on the evening and through JustGiving alone have raised more than £3,500. To register to take part in The Big Sleep click here.  or call 01900 825760 for more information.

Cumbria Community Foundation is urging more community groups to apply for funding through the Joyce Wilkinson Trust Fund.

The funding is available to community groups in the former county of Cumberland, especially those in the Rosley and Westward parishes.

Grants are distributed from the fund twice a year and the Foundation is looking for more applications for the next panel in June.

Ellen Clements, Senior Grants and Donor Services Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation said: “We are enormously proud to have been able to carry on Joyce Wilkinson’s legacy since 2008. Many local projects have benefitted from her fund and there is still money to be distributed before the next panel meeting in June.”

The criteria of the fund encourages groups supporting older people and children and young people to apply and those operating or providing services in or close to the parishes of Rosley and Westward.

Last month £9,480 was awarded to six different community organisations including Wigton Cricket Club, Fell View After School Club, Northern Fells Pre-School Nursery Group and the Ireby Festival.

Charles Devlin, Treasurer of the Ireby Festival said: “The Festival is a not for profit community organisation and the Joyce Wilkinson Trust awarded £1,500 to help offset some of the costs associated with the hire of professional lighting and stage structures, essentials for making the festival professional and enjoyable for the community.

Applying to the Foundation for a grant is straight forward and staff are always looking to help organisations with their applications.

The deadline for applications to the Joyce Wilkinson Charitable Fund is Wednesday 27th May. For more information about how to apply contact Ellen Clements by phone 01900 825760 or by email ellen@cumbriafoundation.org

Northern Rock Foundation has announced four special awards totalling £1.5 million as part of its final programme of work in 2015.

Northern Rock Foundation has awarded £1.5 million in grants of £375,000 each to the region’s four community foundations in the North East and Cumbria. These awards mean that communities across the region will continue to benefit from the Foundation’s funds in the future.

Cumbria Community Foundation will use the funding to create a new fund within their endowed fund which will then provide annual grants in perpetuity for disadvantaged people.  Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said: “For many organisations in Cumbria, funding from the Northern Rock Foundation was a significant part of their income. We hope to continue supporting charitable groups like these, which operate in some of the most disadvantaged communities in Cumbria. The money will be endowed into the Foundation Grants fund, which addresses poverty and disadvantage, and will become a lasting legacy for the county.”

Alastair Balls, Chairman of Northern Rock Foundation said “Community Foundations are connected to a wide range of voluntary and community organisations which meet the needs of people throughout the region. These grants are part of the Foundation’s legacy programme and ensure that the last of the Foundation’s funding provides long term benefit for current and future generations across the North East and Cumbria. “

In the North East Tees Valley and County Durham Community Foundations will also use the funding to create a new fund within each of their endowed funds. The Community Foundation serving Tyne and Wear and Northumberland has used the grant in kind towards purchasing the Old Chapel in Gosforth from Northern Rock Foundation, alongside a gift from a private donor, which will become the Community Foundation’s new offices in 2015.

Early in 2014 three former founding members of Chapter Five came together with other top ranking local musicians to form a new 9 piece Soul band, “Soul Survivors” exactly 50 years after forming “Chapter Five”

The guys were brought together by their love of Sixties Soul music, and a close friendship with each other going back decades.

The former Chapter Five members are Frank Hayes Bass Guitar, Allan Davies Lead Guitar and Dave McGerty Keyboards. They were joined by Danny Smyth on vocals, Mike Kidson Drums, Julie Rogerson Sax, Kim Anderson Trumpet, with Dave’s Daughter Tania McGerty on backing vocals and Sarah Carrick (Daughter of Chapter Five’s Drummer Tony Flanagan) also on backing vocals. Both girls also take the lead vocals on female vocal tracks.

Danny Smyth was well known as half of Soul Duo “The Smyth Brothers” and topped the bill all over the North of England backed by local bands “Index Trend” and the great “Patents Pending”.

Dave, Frank, and Mike, have also played together over the years in other local bands such as “Small World” and “Breaker” and “Danny Patterson & The Flamingoes”.

Mike is known as a “Drummers Drummer”, and is probably the most well respected percussionist to ever come out of Barrow.

Saxophonist Julie Rogerson is a well respected local player and one of the very best Sax players ever to come from the local area. Trumpet player Kim Anderson is the youngster in the band, but is very experienced, being both a conductor of several local Brass Bands and a professional Brass teacher, she is also a published Poet under the pen name of Kim Moore.

Sarah is well known for starring in many local musical productions over the years, her most recent appearance being in the Chorus for “Evita” at The Forum.

Tania was a member of Cabaret and Dinner Dance band “Forever” along with Dad Dave some years ago.

Altogether a very experienced outfit who just love to play and entertain the crowd.

The public’s interest in, and love of, Sixties Soul Music never seems to diminish, and Dave has just recently been informed that the “Chapter Five” single he wrote (You Can’t Mean It) is to be re-released early in the New Year for the 4th time!!! The band obviously include this, and other Chapter Five numbers, in their set list.

Barrow Community Trust is delighted that Soul Survivors have agreed to perform their first major gig to raise funds for the Trust at the Soccer Bar on Friday 30 January 2015 with doors opening at 8pm.  Admission will be by ticket only with tickets, costing £10 each, being available for cash purchase only from R & T Music, 8 Dalkeith Street, Barrow-in-Furness.

Rob Cairns, Chairman of Barrow Community Trust, said: “It is wonderful that Soul Survivors are doing their first full gig to help us with our fundraising.  We all very much appreciate this tremendous gesture.  Every penny raised will be used to help worthwhile causes within the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness.  We are certain that this gig will quickly sell out and I therefore urge any Chapter Five followers or soul music fans to get their tickets quickly.  Personally, I cannot wait to hear them.”

Cumbria Community Foundation has launched this year’s Big Sleep from a bed floating on lake Windermere.

The stunt is to encourage people to sign up for The Big Sleep and enjoy a night under the stars on Saturday 7 February 2015 to raise money for the Winter Warmth Appeal.

[Watch the ITV Border news report here]

The Big Sleep is an organised mass sleep out in a field behind the Low Wood Hotel where participants are sponsored to camp out on a cold winter’s night. In return, the charity provides food and a film to keep them going.

Andy Beeforth explains why Cumbria Community Foundation raises money for the elderly:
“Every year 300 elderly people in Cumbria die because they can’t afford to heat their homes throughout the winter and that is why appeals like the Winter Warmth are so important. The Big Sleep is a fun way for people to raise money and help reduce this number. If we can manage to sleep on Lake Windermere and not fall out, it will be easy to sleep out one night on the Low Wood’s fell side. Thank you to English Lakes Hotels for allowing the event to happen, it’s important to get the community involved because the cold weather can effect anyone in your own town or village.”

Keeping Andy company on the floating bed is Gary McKeating, Head of Socioeconomics at Nuclear Management Partners, he said: “This is the second year that Andy Beeforth and I have publicised the Big Sleep. Although the stunt is a light-hearted way to bring attention to February’s event, the issue that we’re raising money for can be a matter of life and death for some people. I’m very conscious of how lucky me and my family are to go home to a warm house. I would urge anybody that is in such a fortunate position to join us at the Big Sleep on February 7th and help those, that due to many different circumstances, have to go without heating their home, which should be considered a necessity not a luxury.”

Staging the Big Sleep is only possible thanks to the warm generosity of English Lakes Hotels, Resorts and Venues, who allow a field close to the Low Wood Hotel to be used for the event in February, Executive Ben Berry said: “We’re a business that’s always looking for ways we can benefit our local community. And whilst we are used to hundreds of people staying in our bedrooms, it is absolutely fantastic to have hundreds sleeping on our fell side, having fun and raising money for a much needed cause.”

During the winter of 2013/14, Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal raised £105,000. Of that, £23,000 was raised in one night by 170 people taking part in the inaugural Big Sleep.

So far this winter, the charity has raised £37,334 for its 2014/15 Winter Warmth Appeal.

The number of people over the age of 60 who are living in fuel poverty has gone up from 1.11 million to 1.14 million in the past year according to estimates by the Energy Bill Revolution. The north west region had the second highest increase of excess winter deaths (13.2 per cent)

How to join the Big Sleep
To take part in the Big Sleep 2015 visit https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/bigsleep/ or call CCF on 01900 825760.

The Big Sleep at Home
This year we are offering people the opportunity to take part in the Big Sleep at Home, so if they can’t make it to the event at Windermere they can set up their own Big Sleep.
There is a lower entry fee of £20 for people wanting to join the Big Sleep at Home. Visit: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/bigsleep/about/big-sleep-at-home/

Join in the Big Sleep action at facebook.com/cumbriabigsleep and via our twitter @cumbriafoundation #BigSleep2015

Looking for local funding?

Local groups and organisations with great ideas to make their communities even better places to live are now invited to apply for funding to turn their ideas into reality.

Using money raised by society lotteries through The Health Lottery, People’s Health Trust has opened Active Communities in HealthAble – Cumbria and Northumberland.

Active Communities is a funding programme for community groups and not-for-profit organisations, with an income of less than £350,000 a year, that are seeking investment of between £5,000 and £50,000 for projects lasting up to two years. The projects should take place within a small area for a small group of people such as 20 or 30 streets or a couple of villages.

They are looking for projects which are designed and run by local people, create stronger connections between people and help people to make their community or neighbourhood even better. Project must last for between 9 months and 2 years and be operating in the top 35% most deprived wards in Cumbria and Northumberland – click here to see if you’re eligible.

Applying couldn’t be easier. It’s an online process with a step by step guide from start to finish.

The deadline for applications is 1pm on Wednesday 21 January 2015.

Contact Annalee Holliday, Grants & Donor Services Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation on 01900 825760 for further information.

People’s Health Trust is an independent charity investing in local communities to help create a society without health inequalities.

A £500 donation from South Lakes Housing has helped Cumbria Community Foundation raise more than £20,000 for their Winter Warmth Appeal.

The appeal raises money to help older people across Cumbria stay warm and healthy over the winter months. Grants are available to people over 60 to help with their heating bills.

Peter Thomas, Chief Executive of South Lakes Housing said: “As a local Housing Association we fully appreciate the problems that some of our more senior residents can experience with heating their homes and of course the impact that a lack of warmth can have on an individual’s health and well-being.

“South Lakes Housing is therefore very pleased to be able to support Cumbria Community Foundation and its Winter Warmth Appeal.”

The appeal launched for its fifth year less than a month ago and has already raised £20,000 towards the £110,000 target.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said: “In five years the Winter Warmth Appeal has been able to help thousands of people because of generous donations like this. Older people can be the most at risk and the people we help tell us the money they receive from the fund literally helped them survive.”

It’s very simple to donate to the Winter Warmth Appeal: Phone 01900 825760, click here  or 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 would like to apply for a grant, click here.

After the success of last year, Cumbria Community Foundation will also be running The Big Sleep 2015, a fundraising event challenging people to sleep out under the stars and feel the cold. The event will take place Saturday February 7, 2015 at The Low Wood Bay Hotel, Windermere. To find out how to join us click here.

Applications are now open for this years High Sheriff National Crimebeat Awards.

The annual awards give recognition to the most innovative and successful crime-prevention projects carried out by young people (ages 5-25) in helping create safer communities. These projects should have a beneficial effect on the community inside and outside of the project group.

There are 2 categories, each with 3 prizes (1st – £1000, 2nd – £750, 3rd – £500)
– Category A: Groups where the project idea came from young people who are then responsible for running it.
–Category B: Groups where the project idea was developed from others, but where young people have a significant role in the management and delivery of the project.

To be eligible for these awards, a simple application should be submitted via e-mail to hs.cumbria2014@btconnect.com, Martyn Hart, High Sheriff of Cumbria, for his endorsement.

** The deadline for submitting applications to Marty Hart is Monday, 15th December 2014 **

Applications must provide the following information:
-Project title
-Category of Entry (A or B)
-County
-Name and Address of the organisation and details of the responsible person to be contacted
-Age range and number of young people in the group
-A 750 word (max) description of the project including outcomes achieved to date

Once the project application has been endorsed by the High Sheriff you will then be able to send any supporting evidence such as photographs, newspaper cuttings, media interviews etc. that would assist the judging panel on memory sticks and/or DVDs.

Finalists are invited to a prestigious ceremony in London where the winners are announced. They are asked to make a short presentation introducing their project and describing what it has achieved. As a special perk, all finalists are given a tour of London on an open top bus and a trip on The London Eye.

For more information about the awards click here.

You may also see details of previous winners here.

Cumbria Community Foundation is today launching its fifth annual Winter Warmth Appeal, a fund set up to raise money for elderly people throughout Cumbria who struggle to afford to keep warm because of the increasing cost of fuel.

Every year an average of 300 people die in Cumbria due to the effects of the cold weather, a fatality rate higher than most other areas of the UK and the elderly are among the most at risk, but £10,000 has already been raised to help Cumbria’s older people keep their homes warm.

Last year the Winter Warmth Fund raised £105,000 and more than 1,000 people benefited from the warm generosity of others. This year the charity hopes to raise even more money to help more of Cumbria’s most vulnerable.

 Ellen is 74 and from Keswick, last year she received a grant from the Winter Warmth Appeal and her story really touched us here at the foundation:

“I realised how cold it got when I stayed up through the night looking after my husband before he died. There must be loads of people in that position. I decided I should do something to help keep myself warm and so I crocheted a blanket to put on my knees or round my shoulders. Then I made one for my neighbour and it kept her warm, so I have kept going. I’ve now made 16 blankets. I buy one ball of wool at a time – there’s a shop in Penrith which sells it cheap. It gives me great pleasure when I finish a whole blanket, I look at it and think ‘that’s someone else who is going to be warm.’ People have helped me, so I do what I can to help others. The Winter Warmth Grant made a big difference, I was able to leave the heating on for longer.”

Cumbria Community Foundation is working with Age UK and The Oaklea Trust to award the grants to elderly people in the county who need the money to stay safe and healthy.

Christina Timney from Age UK West Cumbria said: “Age UK and Cumbria Community Foundation work in partnership to promote health and wellbeing to the elderly in our community. We want to empower them with knowledge and financial assistance to maximize income and minimize expenditure to ensure a greater standard of living and the Winter Warmth Fund allows us to do this.”

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation says: “In five years the Winter Warmth Appeal has helped thousands of people.  We understand that fuel poverty is a serious issue, especially in Cumbria, so this appeal helps keep older people in our county warm and safe in the winter. The people we help tell us the money they receive from the fund literally helped them survive.”

It’s very simple to donate to the Winter Warmth Appeal: Just phone Cumbria Community Foundation on 01900 825760 or visit our JustGiving page.

You can also simply send a text message to 70070 including our code WINT37. You can donate £2, £5 or £10. e.g. WINT37 £5 to 70070.

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.

After the success of last year, Cumbria Community Foundation will also be running The Big Sleep 2015, a fundraising event challenging people to sleep out under the stars and feel the cold. The event will take place Saturday February 7, 2015 at The Low Wood Bay Hotel, Windermere. Why not sign up now?