Cumbria Community Foundation today celebrated raising more than £105,000 with its Winter Warmth Appeal.

The money was given to older people in Cumbria who struggle to keep warm in the winter.

 More than seven hundred grants were distributed which means more than 1,000 people benefitted from the warm generosity of others.

The Winter Warmth Appeal, now in its fourth year, has seen the money raised rise tenfold from £10,000 in 2010, to £105,000 this year.

A quarter of this year’s total came in through one ‘fun’ fundraising idea, ‘The Big Sleep’ saw 167 people sleeping in a field behind the Low Wood Hotel in Windermere attracting £23,000 in one night in February.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “Our trustees set a challenging target for us to raise £100,000 to keep older people warm and safe in the winter. I am blown away by the warm generosity of the people in this county in their support of this appeal and I am very proud that we exceeded the Trustees expectations.  I am grateful to the Low Wood Hotel and the Berry family for their support and to the Age UK offices around the county and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Barrow who have helped direct the funds to older people in need.”

Cumbria Community Foundation will celebrate the success of the Winter Warmth Appeal by sharing a cake with a group of older people at an exercise class organised by Age UK South Lakeland.

The celebration will be at 11.45am on Wednesday, 28 May, at 11.45am, at Holme Parish Hall, Holme, near Kendal.

Sonia Mangan, Director of Age UK South Lakeland, said: “Every day Age UKs across the county work with older people with a range of complex problems and situations. We know that more and more people are struggling financially and these grants have enabled us to work with people on a very practical solution – offering a small grant towards the cost of heating when it is most needed. Successful appeals like this one really do change lives and we would like to add our thanks to all those people who worked hard to make it happen.”

Cllr Ben Berry, whose family kindly hosted The Big Sleep in February, said: “The Winter Warmth Fund is all about helping our neighbours when they need us most. With The Big Sleep we’ve made it easy for anyone, young, old, fit or able to raise money for this vital local charitable cause and I’m very proud to be involved with that.”

Here is a link to a video which features a couple of people who have benefitted from a Winter Warmth Grant this year and tells the story through a short film:

Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart has helped raise awareness of the appeal by sleeping out in the Pennines in one of the highest and coldest places in Cumbria in January, he said:

“Cumbria has some of the highest instances of fuel poverty in the country. Our traditionally built homes are difficult to heat and frequently off the mains gas grid, which make heating them very expensive. When your income is fixed, as is the case for many retired, elderly people, rises in energy bills can quickly become unaffordable, and the only choice left in the worst cases is to endure a cold home. It is completely unacceptable that an average of 300 people in Cumbria alone will die from the cold this Winter. The Cumbria Community Foundation plays a hugely important role in helping vulnerable older people meet the costs of heating their home. I was only too happy to do anything I could to help raise awareness of the Winter Warmth Appeal and the foundation’s fantastic fundraising efforts.”

Click here to view the ITV Border news piece where Pam Royle spoke to Chief Executive Andy Beeforth and asked him why he thinks the campaign has been so successful.

More than 300 guests attended a Grand Charity Dinner held on 22 March at the Shap Wells Hotel.  The event was co-hosted by Cumbria’s outgoing High Sheriff, Diana Matthews, and current High Sheriff, Martyn Hart.  £20,000 was raised, which will benefit the High Sheriff’s Crimebeat Fund, administered by Cumbria Community Foundation. The funds primary purpose is to support young people in danger of becoming involved in the youth justice system.

Guests were entertained by historian and television personality, David Starkey, and there was a lively auction of specialty items and experiences donated by generous local businesses and individuals.  In addition to a sumptuous meal, the dining room itself was a feast for the eyes of  “a cornucopia of interesting people” (as one guest put it) from all over the County (and beyond); beautiful table arrangements with stunning tulips from Holland which could later be purchased for a donation to the Crimebeat Fund.    

Martyn Hart says: “It was a fun and tremendously well-supported evening and a wonderful way to begin my year as High Sheriff; we’ve certainly hit the ground running!” 

The High Sheriff’s endorsement can help support local charities, particularly those working with the most vulnerable, by raising the profile of their valuable work within the County. 

“It is my intention to encourage people, particularly the young, to maximize their potential and self- esteem by helping others, and the substantial funds raised at this event will help support these exceptional local initiatives.”

James Carr, Chairman of Cumbria Community Foundation and himself a former High Sheriff said: “The Fund has given out almost £40,000 to groups across Cumbria. The money encourages young people to be involved in challenging activities, which can be shown to serve a purpose in diverting and deterring them from anti-social behaviour and crime. It offers young people a great chance to show how constructive they can be in their communities and what they can do to help themselves and others in their neighbourhood.”

The second annual Hunter Davies Award for Young Writers competition is now open for any student aged 16-21 who attends a Cumbrian school, college or university. The winning entry will receive £1,000 – half to go to the student’s library and the other half to the winning young person. They’ll also get the chance to have their entry published in Cumbria Life magazine.

This year, the title of the writing will be ‘My Best Friend’ and should be written as a profile of the best friend or an interview.

“Yes, it’s a corny title” said Hunter “but that’s the point. It’s slightly ironic, leaving it open to the student to make of it what he or she wants although it does need to be a piece of  non-fiction writing like a reportage or journalism than a school essay.  It can be personal, in the first or third person, amusing, informative and descriptive, with observations and opinions,   with or without quotes and dialogue. The best friend can be anyone, old or young, dead or alive and could even be a pet.

“The main purpose is to encourage writing skills – which after all everyone needs in life these days for work and for pleasure, now that  we all seem to spend most of our time in some of sort  communication.”

The judges are Steve Matthews, author, publisher and owner of Bookends and Bookcase in Carlisle, Cumbria Life Editor Richard Eccles and headed by Hunter Davies.

Hannah Sowerby, 17 from Appleby Grammer School won the inaugural prize last year. She said “I was I overjoyed to hear I won and it brightened up my days of endless IT coursework! I would recommend any student to enter. The money helped with driving lessons and the school library was able to purchase some new books.”

The competition is organised by Cumbria Community Foundation. For further information contact Annalee Holliday on 01900 825760 or click here to access the submission form, which has full details of the rules. The deadline for entries is 1st July 2014.

Annalee Holliday, Grants and Donor Services Officer said “This is the second year of the competition and we’re delighted to be working with Hunter again. The prize will provide an incentive for a number of young aspiring writers to get creative and shine a light on their writing skills”

Barrow Community Trust has topped the £100,000 mark for deposits into its charity accounts with Furness Building Society which generate a big annual payment to the Trust.

The account enables supporters to raise cash for the Community Trust without spending a penny of their own money.  They simply save in one of the easy access Barrow Community Trust Charity Savings accounts with the Furness, receive interest on their savings, and the Society makes a payment from its own funds – not the savers’ money – based on the average annual total in all of the accounts.

The news comes hard on the heels of the Trust’s announcement that its donations to community groups within Barrow-in-Furness have passed the £1 million mark.  The community groups assisted include Four Groves Community Association, Project John, Drop Zone Youth Project, Barrow & District Disability Association as well as many others.

Rob Cairns, Chairman of Barrow Community Trust, stated: “The milestone for savings in the special Barrow Community Trust Charity Savings account is great news because it shows supporters are really getting behind the idea.  The Furness payment is calculated as the equivalent of 1% of the total balance in all of the accounts, so the more our supporters save, the more the Furness gives to the Trust, and the more support we can give to local community groups.  But the best news is it does not cost our supporters a penny of their savings – and they are getting a good rate of interest for an easy access account.”

“Barrow is extremely fortunate because it is the only place in Cumbria to have its own Community Trust.  But it only exists because of the outstanding support by local people – and I would urge any of our supporters who have not already opened one of these accounts to do so as soon as possible so they can be instrumental in Barrow Community Trust receiving an even bigger cheque from the Society each year.”

“As we have been set up purely with the aim of helping local community groups, including many of the smaller groups who need financial support, I would urge supporters of such local groups to also open a Barrow Community Trust Charity Savings account as the more that is invested, the higher our bonus payment will be, resulting us in being able to help even more community groups.”

Ian Quayle, Partnerships and Affinities Manager at the Furness explained: “A Barrow Community Trust account can be opened at any of our branches or agencies, but we also have an e-savings facility so that the accounts can be opened and operated on line – making it even easier to save and at the same time support the Trust.”

For more information about a Barrow Community Trust Charity Savings Account, read the leaflet or visit a local Furness Building Society branch or agency, call 0800 834312 or go to www.furnessbs.co.uk/BCT

Rain showers, chilly winds and a muddy field didn’t dampen the spirits of the people who took part in Saturday’s Big Sleep in aid of Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal.

Aged between seven and 70, there were 170 people who spent the night in sleeping bags and tents beside the Low Wood Hotel in Windermere.

And so far the total amount of money to help keep older Cumbrians warm this winter is almost £74,000.

The youngest sleeper was 7-year-old Eleanor Parry, from Brampton, who camped out in a tent with her dad Richard and the oldest was 70-year-old Ian Tomlinson, from Kendal, who camped with his wife Chris. One girl wont forget her transformation into a teenager, Nina Brendling from Ambleside went to bed aged 12 and woke up on her 13th birthday!

There were tents of all shapes and sizes, others took on the full challenge of sleeping in a bivi bag and the High Sheriff, Diana Matthews, brought a camp bed and fashioned a shelter out of two big umbrellas.

Last minute glitches were overcome in true British style with everyone pulling together to make things happen in spite of the challenges. Nevil Jeffery, Manager of the Low Wood Bay Hotel, had already agreed to support the event by providing hot soup and bacon rolls – but when the burger van pulled out at the eleventh hour he set about making huge pots of stew for the campers. For some, his Cowboy Stew was a real highlight.

Andrew Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “I was woken by an almost full moon shining down on me, the view of the lake was stunning, a really magical experience. There was a great atmosphere at the Big Sleep, a real sense of pulling together for a good cause. Everyone I spoke to said the experience really hit home how difficult it is for older people across Cumbria to keep warm in the winter. Hopefully, when the sponsorship all comes in we’ll be closer to that £100,000 target.”

Stuart Hyde, former Chief Constable, said: “I thought it was a well organised event, good fun, cold in places, warmed up by the warmth of the people that were there.”

Tom Foster, from Sellafield, completed the challenge with his son Mick, a serving soldier, he said: “Mick said it was the best night’s sleep he has had in weeks. Usually he gets woken up for a training mission to wade through a swamp in the dark. I found it much more difficult. I was a bit cold and uncomfortable and it gave me first hand experience of what he does and also it drove home that there are people who are that cold on a regular basis. We’ve raised almost £300.”

Ben Berry, from the Low Wood Bay Hotel, said: “It was good fun. I was a bit better prepared for it this year after nearly dying on Stickle Tarn last year. I had better equipment, I knew how cold it was last time. And I am glad Nevil came through with the supper.”

The reason Cumbria Community Foundation runs this annual appeal is simple – every winter around 300 elderly people in Cumbria die because of the effects of the cold weather. They have to choose between heating their homes and eating a meal. The Winter Warmth Fund keeps older Cumbrians safe and warm.

The first Aspiring Leaders Programme (ALP) for Cumbria and North Lancashire began in 2011 and is due to conclude this July with 12 ‘pioneers’ due to graduate with a Foundation Degree and 3 years of leadership training and mentoring under their belts.

It is the ambition of Francis C Scott Charitable Trust to continue providing a transformative programme for young adults who would not otherwise access mainstream higher education or development opportunities.  The key objectives of the programme remain as follows:

a) To uncover, nurture and launch talented young adults from within the more deprived communities in Cumbria/North Lancs in order to better serve those communities’ needs.

b) In doing so, to provide role models for others to aspire, attain and contribute.

c) To address the most common deficiency we see in local charity leadership – namely the ability to run charitable organisations in a business-like and enterprising manner.

d) To create a self-supporting network of community leadership across our beneficial area.

Francis C Scott Charitable Trust is the main funder of ALP with Brathay Trust leading a delivery partnership alongside the University of Cumbria and Common Purpose.  After a thorough review and retendering process, the decision was made to begin another cohort in 2014 (known as ALP2) and we are now calling for nominations to enrol on this unique programme.

We are looking for Young Adults:
– Who are aged 20-32 (exceptional candidates outside this age range may be considered)
– Resident in Cumbria or North Lancashire
– Working or volunteering for a local charity or social enterprise
– With a minimum of 4 GCSE passes (including English) and an ability to undertake level 4 study, evidenced by obtaining further qualifications or completing certified training courses
– Who would not otherwise have the opportunity
– With an ambition to become a community leader

What can participants gain over the 3 years (2014-17)?
– Residential leadership training
– A personal mentor
– Diverse work experience
– A unique network within the local voluntary sector
– A chance to make a real difference
All of which will lead to a B.Sc.(Hons) degree in Social Enterprise Leadership

Next steps:
– All candidates must be nominated by the charitable organisation they are working/volunteering for
– Fill in the  application form which must be endorsed by a line manager or project leader (deadline 9 May 2014)
– Attend an initial 1:1 interview with the FCSCT Director before June 2014
– Attend an assessment weekend at Brathay on 8-10 August 2014

If successful in being chosen to begin ALP2, the first university module and residential training event will be from 1-5 September 2014 at Brathay.  All education, training and travel costs are covered by FCSCT.

Communities in Somerset have reached a crisis point as they cope with extensive and long-term flooding. For many it is the second time in two years they have been affected, and whole communities have been cut off for weeks.

The response within the communities themselves has been magnificent but there is only so much they can do for themselves.

As part of their Surviving Winter campaign Somerset Community Foundation is urgently appealing for donations to relieve the immediate hardship people are facing and support their recovery over the coming weeks and months. With your help, they will help families and communities get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

You can donate:
By calling: on 01749 344949

By sending a cheque made payable to Somerset Community Foundation and write Flood Relief on the back of the cheque. Please send it to us at Yeoman House, Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN.

Over one hundred brave souls have signed up to spend a night sleeping beneath the stars to raise money for cold, older people this winter.

Cumbria Community Foundation has organised “The Big Sleep,” a mass sleep-out challenge in a field beside the Low Wood Hotel in Windermere for Saturday 15 February 2014.

The volunteers are being sponsored to take part and it’s hoped their fund-raising efforts will bring the total raised for the Winter Warmth Fund to £100,000. So far it stands at £62,000.

Copeland MP Jamie Reed is taking part, he said: “I am quite looking forward it, it’s a great initiative and there are few places better to do it than on the shore of Lake Windermere. It’s a great challenge and I’ll be taking my one man tent and enjoying watching The Goonies and getting cold for a good cause.”

Joining him will be Tom Foster, Executive Director Waste and Effluent Disposition, Sellafield, and his 22-year-old son Mick, a serving soldier with the Duke of Lancaster Regiment.

Tom said: “I recognise that we, the people working at Sellafield, have the comfort of heat and a roof over our heads. I want to do my small part and help raise awareness and money for people less fortunate during the winter months. The challenge will be a walk in the park for my son as he has been on a training exercise and has had to camp out for the past two weeks. I’m hoping he will use his knowledge and expertise to look after me!”

Several teams have also signed up to sleep out including: Cockermouth Round Table, Allerdale Borough Council, Cumbrian Newspaper Events, Bond Dickinson, Robinson and Co and David Allen.

Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation, Andy Beeforth said: “We want to raise a total of £100,000 for older people facing the choice of heating they homes or eating a meal. We’ve already raised £62,000 for our Winter Warmth Appeal. So, this is a final call for anyone who thinks they can raise £100 in sponsorship to join me for The Big Sleep next week. We’ve kindly been lent a field near the Low Wood Hotel in Windermere, we’ve sorted out a screening of The Goonies and we’re going to brave the elements to raise awareness of the problems older people face in the winter and raise the rest of the money.”

The Big Sleep is an outdoor adventure in aid of Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal. The challenge is to sling on your pyjamas and snuggle down under the stars in front of a fabulous film.

If you could brace yourself to sleep in a field overlooking Lake Windermere, where temperatures may dip as low as minus 11 degrees celsius, and raise £100 – please visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/bigsleep.

The reason the charity runs this annual appeal is simple – every winter around 300 elderly people in Cumbria die because of the effects of the cold weather. They have to choose between heating their homes and eating a meal. The Winter Warmth Fund keeps older Cumbrians safe and warm.
How to donate

The Winter Warmth Fund is open to voluntary donations of Winter Fuel Payments, plus donations from other individuals and local businesses.
You can donate to the Winter Warmth Fund in many ways:

Donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/winterwarmthfund.

Write a cheque payable to: ‘Cumbria Community Foundation’ and write ‘Winter Warmth’ on the back. Send it to: Cumbria Community Foundation, Dovenby Hall, Dovenby, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0PN.

Use your mobile phone. Simply send a text message to 70070 including our code WINT37. You can donate £2, £5 or £10. e.g. WINT37 £5 to 70070.

For more help or information, Tel: 01900 825 760 Fax: 01900 826527
Email: enquiries@cumbriafoundation.org

What happens to the money

All of the money raised will be used to provide support to elderly people who are suffering because of fuel poverty. It will be directed to those most in need through voluntary and community groups in Cumbria who are supporting vulnerable older people. Please watch this video: http://vimeo.com/85198081

It will help older people afford to stay warm, eat well and remain mobile. It will ensure they  are getting all the benefits they are entitled to, help them to access grants to improve home insulation or replace old heating systems and show them how to shop around for the best fuel rate. It will also help provide information on how to stay healthy, like getting the flu jab and staying active. And where to get extra support in local communities, such as through lunch clubs and befriending schemes.

The winner of the inaugural Hunter Davies Award for Young Writers for Cumbrian sixth formers is seventeen year old Hannah Sowerby, of Appleby Grammar School.

The £1,000 prize, administered by Cumbria Community Foundation is for a piece of personal reportage – nonfiction as opposed to fiction, a true story about something which has happened to them, big or small. The title of the first essay was “What I did in my Hols”

“Yes, a deliberately corny, childlike title,” says Hunter Davies, “but the idea was they could do with it what they liked, write about staying in bed all summer, digging their granddad’s allotment or going abroad. We were looking for good reporters, feature writers of the future, but also people with a literary turn, a sense of humour, able to handle conversation, narrative and most of all able to shape their own 1,500 words of personal experience so that you want to read on to the end.

Hannah will receive £500 personally to spend wildly as she wills, with the other £500 going to her school library.

The three judges were Hunter Davies, Richard Eccles and Stephen Matthews.

Richard Eccles, who is the editor of Cumbria Life, is publishing Hannah’s winning essay in the February edition of Cumbria Life.

Stephen Matthews is an author, publisher and owner of Bookcase in Carlisle. He was formerly head of English at Wigton Nelson Tomlinson School.

“Hannah engages the reader from the off,” says Stephen. “Her essay is peppered with humour, but never forced, just lively, natural and apparently off-the cuff, but actually quite polished.”

On hearing the news that she had won, Hannah’s first reaction was surprise. “If I’m honest, I’d forgotten all about the competition. When my teacher told me that I had won I couldn’t believe it. Of course I was overjoyed and it brightened up my day of endless coursework.

“I’m still unsure what to spend the money on, but I may spend a bit on some driving lessons. Then save the rest until I’m sure what to do with it.”

The prize is now going to be an annual event, open to any comprehensive sixth former in the county. The title for this year’s Essay will be announced at Easter – and all details will appear on the Foundation’s website.

“We got a good response for a first attempt,” says Hunter, “with some excellent entries from a range of schools all over the county, such as Ulverston High, Cockermouth School, Newman School, Carlisle, Nelson Tomlinson, Wigton, and Appleby Grammar. But we hope for even more next year.”

Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart will spend this Saturday night sleeping in one of the highest and coldest places in England to raise awareness of Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Appeal.

He’ll be joined by CCF’s Chief Executive Andy Beeforth and supported by members of Penrith Mountain Rescue Team.

They’re hoping their freezing night on the fells will encourage people to sign up for a similar challenge ‘The Big Sleep’ in a field beside the Low Wood Hotel, Windermere, on Saturday 15 February.

Rory Stewart explained why he is taking on the challenge, he said:

“Cumbria has some of the highest instances of fuel poverty in the country. Our traditionally built homes are difficult to heat and frequently off the mains gas grid, which make heating them very expensive. When your income is fixed, as is the case for many retired, elderly people, rises in energy bills can quickly become unaffordable, and the only choice left in the worst cases is to endure a cold home. It is completely unacceptable that an average of 300 people in Cumbria alone will die from the cold this Winter. The Cumbria Community Foundation plays a hugely important role in helping vulnerable older people meet the costs of heating their home. I was only too happy to do anything I could to help raise awareness of the Winter Warmth Appeal and the Foundation’s fantastic fundraising efforts, and I hope that our sleep out will do just that.”

John Whittle, Penrith Mountain Rescue Team, said:

“This weekend, we’ll be ensuring the safety of these brave souls by accompanying them to England’s highest, coldest, stone-built bothy, over 2,700 feet up in the Pennines. It’s no mean feat as the temperature will be well below zero and winds have been recorded at 113mph. The exact location for this Saturday’s sleep out is a closely guarded secret as we don’t want to encourage people to head out onto the fells overnight in winter. Instead we’d say consider joining The Big Sleep – a much more civilised sleepover beside the Low Wood on February 15.”

Whatever discomfort is felt by the adventurers, it is for one night only and will highlight the ongoing struggle many elderly Cumbrians face to keep warm every night.

This year’s Winter Warmth Appeal has already raised £52,000 to help older people in Cumbria stay warm and safe this winter – this is more than last year and half way to the target of £100,000.

But, all of this money has been allocated and given out to elderly people who are facing the stark choice of heating their home or eating a meal.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said:

“I’d like to say thank you to all our donors who have helped raise more than £56,000 to keep older people warm this winter. We’d like people to join us for The Big Sleep in a field beside the Low Wood Hotel, Windermere, on Saturday 15 February. If you have your own camping gear and can bear the cold for one night to help raise even more money for older people, please join us. We’ll try to keep our minds off the weather by watching a family friendly film on an outdoor cinema screen. All the information you need and the names of the people who have already signed up are on our website www.cumbriafoundation.org.bigsleep or speak to Dan on 01900 825760.”