Cumbria Community Foundation is joining forces with Sellafield Ltd and CN Group to be part of the West Cumbria Community Heroes Awards this November. The charity is sponsoring the Volunteer of the Year Award and hopes to find lots of worthy winners.

The Foundation is backing the award because it invests in local communities by awarding grants to charitable groups who are supported by many volunteers who give endless hours of time making Cumbria a better place to live and work.

This week coincides with Trustees’ Week 2015, which celebrates the fantastic work of existing trustees and aims to increase awareness and understanding of the trustee role.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of the Foundation said: “It is very easy to value and recognise people volunteering in front-line or even operational roles. The far less glamorous work put in by the members of boards, committees, and governing bodies, though, is more easily overlooked – and yet it is these people who voluntarily accept all responsibility and liability – especially when things go wrong. We want to shine a light on these people who contribute so much time and effort into the county’s voluntary sector.”

Willie Slavin from Whitehaven is a trustee of the Foundation and at the Howgill Family Centre. He says: “As a trustee you get to see the whole working machine, top down, and play a part in how it goes forward to achieve its aims. It’s a really empowering thing, and in most cases anyone can do it.”

Trustees’ Week is an annual event to showcase the great work that trustees do and highlight opportunities for people from all walks of life to get involved and make a difference. For more information visit the Trustees’ Week website.

A charity golf day has raised £1,500 to support the work of Cumbria Community Foundation.

Carlisle’s Park Gate & Co Limited, one of Cumbria’s largest electrical engineering companies invited 55 guests including customers and staff to a Charity Golf Day at Eden Golf Club in June.

The day started at 8.30am right through until midnight and involved two rounds of golf, a raffle and auction, with a presentation meal in the evening.

All abilities were welcomed and everyone enjoyed a fantastic day of golf with one enthusiastic player losing more than 30 golf balls in the rough and the lake.

Organised by Park Gate & Co Manager, Paul Emmerson, the funds raised will be donated to Cumbria Community Foundation after he attended the charity’s AGM last year. Paul felt inspired to do something to continue the good work of the Foundation in the local community.

Paul said: “This was a fantastic day, enjoyed by customers and Park Gate staff who were very generous with their donations and even the weather held out. It would not have been possible without the hard work of our people and the Eden Golf Club staff who made it an enjoyable and memorable day.”

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said: “We are really pleased Park Gate & Co have supported us by hosting a charity event. We look forward to distributing the money to some great causes.”

Find out more about becoming a corporate member with Cumbria Community Foundation, or other ways to give.

500 cyclists rode out of Keswick in brilliant sunshine for the fourth annual Jennings Rivers Ride on Sunday 27 September.

The cycle sportive, set up in the wake of the 2009 floods, raises money for Cumbria Community Foundation to help good causes around the county.

It’s hoped this year’s fundraisers will match last year’s total by raising more than £23,000 for the charity.

The Jennings Rivers Ride is organised by Keswick-based cycling and events company Rather Be Cycling (RBC).

RBC’s Director Cheryl Frost, said: “We’re delighted that so many people took part. The weather was fantastic and everyone really enjoyed their rides. The atmosphere was really friendly and there was a lovely mix of people of all cycling abilities taking part.

“The Jennings Rivers Ride is a special sportive for us. It’s our flagship event and it’s great to see so many people raising money for a good cause.

“I must say a big thank you to all the riders for taking part, our jolly volunteers who smiled their way through the day and our staff who worked like real troopers to make sure everything went smoothly.”

Cyclists from around the country took part in one of four rides: the ten mile family challenge, the 38 mile Community Circuit, the 55 mile Foundation Flyer and the 75 mile Big Day Out.

A number of Cumbrian firms entered teams, here’s what they had to say:

Workington based Iggesund had 15 riders taking part, Head of HR Jonny Lowe said: “The riders have come back full of it, they had a fantastic day, obviously helped by the brilliant weather. The Iggesund team numbers have grown year on year. Iggesund encourage people to get involved and support events and initiatives to do with health and well-being. It is the inclusiveness of the Jennings Rivers Ride which appeals, never mind what level you are at you can take part, from those just getting into or returning to cycling the family ride is ideal and there is something for the keen cyclist in The Big Day Out. The event is brilliantly organises and it feels very safe, which is important when a company is encouraging people to take part.”

Penrith based Handelsbanken entered a team of seven led by Richard Lancaster, he said:

“What a wonderful day to be cycling around the stunning scenery that West Cumbria has to offer. The Handelsbanken Team were all delighted to be involved in the Jennings Rivers Ride this year and out of seven starters, six of us completed the Big Day Out. A huge thank you to the Cumbria Community Foundation and Jennings for organising such a great event. The marshals and volunteers at the feed stations were all so helpful and provided much needed encouragement at just the right times. We will definitely be back next year as a few of us need to try and conquer Honister!”

The Low Level Waste Repository at Drigg once again entered the biggest team with 23 cyclists taking part, they said: “Everyone enjoyed it and at the moment they are keen to do it again next year!”

Warwick Street Osteopaths in Carlisle said: “Our team went out smiling and came back smiling, we had a good day!”

West Cumbrian Shepley Engineers had a team of eight: “We had a good time, lovely weather, good routes for different abilities.”

Do you know a helpful volunteer?

We are sponsoring the Volunteer of the Year Award, as part of the 2015 West Cumbria Community Heroes Awards in association with Sellafield.

The award recognises  people who have gone out of the way to help others and celebrates their devotion to the community. We are proud to sponsor this award as it stands for many of the same principles as the Neighbourhood Care Independence (NCI) Programme.

To nominate someone for Volunteer of the Year 2015 visit:

Times and Star Heroes

Whitehaven News Heroes

Entries must be received by 9th October 2015. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner at Whitehaven Golf Club on Thursday 26th November.

Two retired businessmen are taking on a big cycling challenge to raise money for Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF).

Starting from Lands End, Tim Cartmell a former farming solicitor and John Rickerby, who was part of Rickerby Limited, will head north on a 530 mile ride home to Carlisle.

While John has already completed the John O Groats to Carlisle section; Tim, who could be described as a novice cyclist, is taking part on a borrowed bike powered by two bionic knees!

They hope to complete the endeavour in ten days, pedalling between 50 and 60 miles a day.

Tim, 67, said: “John has already done John O Groats downhill to Carlisle and now wants to try the uphill section. I stupidly agreed to accompany him as pedalling is apparently good for my two knee replacements. But, looking at John’s bottom in a bicycle saddle isn’t good for my eyesight, so I will pedal some distance behind with John out of sight!”

Both wives have been asked to be on hand to fix any technical bike problems and to supply the riders with drinks and ointments.

John, 66, said: “We know that it is not that major an endeavour which warrants asking for donations or sponsorship – a sponsor usually gets something in return for his donation whereas our sponsors won’t get anything apart from our thanks and the satisfaction perhaps that we cannot give up having been promised, or having received, your money for our cause.”

Cumbria Community Foundation is a charity founded 15 years ago to help worthwhile charitable causes and purposes in Cumbria. John has supported the Foundation and Tim is a trustee of the Foundation. All the money will go towards supporting the work of CCF.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “This is an epic challenge for Tim and John and one which I will enjoy following as they work their way up through the English countryside. I do worry about Tim though, he has borrowed my bike and by his own admission isn’t a cyclist. He assures me he will be ok because he cycled 65 miles in a day for a charity a decade ago, but this challenge will involve getting back on the bike and doing 50 miles a day for ten days running. No mean feat for a man who will not embrace lycra!”

You can sponsor Tim and John via their JustGiving page.

A student from Carlisle has received support from a Cumbrian author as he enters the world of further education.

Administered through Cumbria Community Foundation, the Hunter Davies Fund provides financial assistance to students starting university to be used for course related costs such as fees, books, fieldtrips, equipment or transport.

Simon Boothroyd, 18 attended Trinity School and was nominated by his Head Teacher for showing academic achievement, despite his personal circumstances. Both his parents passed away when he was young and was taken into foster care. However, he excelled at school, became Head Boy and now starts Nottingham University next week to study veterinary medicine.

Simon said: “Receiving the bursary has helped me feel more at ease entering my first year of university. My biggest worry was how I could afford all of the fees and extras you have to buy but this has been a great help.”

Hunter Davies said: “I like the idea of helping someone the way I was unexpectedly helped. In 1954, the Minister of the Church my family attended in Carlisle knocked at the front door of our council house in Carlisle – and I hid, never really liking him or his church. But he had come to give me £10 – thanks to a gift from a member of the church to be given to someone in the congregation who had got into a university. It mattered hugely to me as we had so little money and my father had been disabled almost all my life. I was so surprised, thrilled and grateful.”

Annalee Holliday, Grants & Donor Services Officer at the Foundation said: “The bursaries provide an opportunity for young people in Cumbria to receive a helping hand as they pursue further education. The Fund demonstrates how people can make a real difference to an issue they care about by creating a fund with the Foundation”.

Simon also received £2,000 from the Cumbria Young People’s Fund and £500 from the Edmond Castle Educational Trust.

Fantastic opportunities for students to experience leadership in local businesses with Dream Placement 2016

A new generation of Cumbria’s brightest and best sixth form students are being invited to apply for a ‘Dream Placement’ with the county’s top employers as the Centre for Leadership Performance launches its ground-breaking 2016 initiative to build a bridge between potential young leaders and business.

Over 30 companies and organisations are now involved in the scheme, with host companies from last year’s initiative taking part again. Cumbria Community Foundation are one of the local companies offering placements, in addition to; Capita, Nugeneration Ltd, Studsvik, Carlisle United, Sellafield Ltd, In-Cumbria, North West Evening Mail, National Nuclear Laboratory, Energy Solutions, React Engineering, Hi-Def, Story Homes and Story Contracting, Nuclear Graduates, Thomas Graham, GlaxoSmithKline, Nuvia, Mott MacDonald, NHS Foundation Trust, Amec Foster Wheeler, Direct Rail Services, Gen2 , REACT Engineering, NSG Environmental, Doosan Babcock, Bendalls Engineering, Costain, Energy Solutions, Createc, NDA, Jacobs, Innovus, Energus, and Allerdale Borough Council.

The Dream Placement

The successful Dream Placement candidates will spend a week with their host company during the 2016 February half term (15th- 19th), to get an insider’s view of Cumbria’s best employers, and see first-hand how these organisations’ senior teams and leaders operate.

Information has already gone out to schools and sixth forms across Cumbria and visits with host companies and dream placement ambassadors will be taking place in September and October to encourage students to enter and stake their claim to a Dream Placement by explaining in an online application why they would be selected. Students will be prompted to give 100-word entries about their aspirations and academic life.

Cumbria Community Foundation are delighted to be a part of the initiative and look forward to welcoming the successful young candidates to the team. With so many exciting projects that happen at our Foundation we are sure the placement students will have a positive and engaging experience to help them with future employment.

About Centre for Leadership Performance

The CfLP is a non-profit and private limited organisation that works to develop Cumbria’s leaders for today and tomorrow. Dream Placement is part of CfLP’s broader initiative of promoting leadership throughout the county and strengthening the regional supply chain – in particular, investing in future leaders and making students more aware of the fantastic opportunities for them in Cumbria. Participating companies are making contributions to help fund the Dream Placement programme this year.

Sarah Glass, Business Development manager CfLP, says “ We are delighted that so many organisations are on board for 2016. Last year was a huge success and with even more companies on board we hope to make 2016 even more successful. By working with local businesses Dream Placement offers students an insight into the breath of fantastic opportunities here in Cumbria and shows them what they can aspire to in leadership roles across the County and helps businesses connect with their next generation of leaders. I urge any young person out there who’s thinking about it to enter, this is a fantastic opportunity and is unique to Cumbria.”

The Application Process

The closing date for applications is October 26^th 2015. After this time the entries will be scrutinised by a panel and individuals shortlisted will be invited to attend a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style evening on 10th December. Here they will come face-to-face with top senior managers and representatives from the organisations involved.

How to Apply

Young people wishing to take part in the scheme should visit www.cforlp.org.uk where they can find more entry details and view a video in which past students and host companies talk about their Dream Placement experiences.

For more information please call Sarah Glass at CfLP 07809436190 or email sarah.glass@cforlp.org.uk

Charity organisations in Allerdale and Copeland have been presented with certificates after winning a national award.

Cumbria Community Foundation won the 2015 Grantmaking and Funding category at the UK Charity Awards in June, 2015.

The award was presented for the ground breaking Neighbourhood Care Independence Programme (NCIP), developed by the Community Foundation in its role as Managed Service Provider on behalf of Cumbria County Council.

Cumbria Community Foundation facilitated a partnership of 33 voluntary sector delivery organisations, with the award judges commenting that NCIP was a great example of a whole host of people working together.

On Thursday 13th August members of the NCIP Allerdale and Copeland partnerships whose efforts were instrumental in winning the award were presented with their winners’ certificates. The partners include Age UK West Cumbria, West House, the Allerdale and Copeland Citizens Advice Bureaux, Allerdale Disability Association, Hospice at Home West Cumbria, West Cumbria Blind Society, Cumbria Deaf Vision, Fit4Life, Northern Fells Group, Caritas Care, Age UK, Cumbria Deaf Vision, Croftlands and British Red Cross. The certificates were presented by Willie Slavin, Chair of Cumbria Community Foundation’s West Cumbria Grants Panel.

Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive of Cumbria Community Foundation said: “This award is the culmination of more than three years hard work.  We have one of the fastest growing populations of older people and NCIP is all about helping people stay safe, healthy and independent at home. This award is recognition for all of the charities and organisations funded through the programme and shows we can be the best in the country.”

The £860,000 per annum NCIP programme is delivered on behalf of Cumbria County Council to support Cumbria’s large and growing population of older people and vulnerable adults.  NCIP partners provide a range of services, from Home from Hospital, minor adaptions to the home, to befriending and social activities. The NCIP has delivered £1m in public sector savings and helped over 38,000 vulnerable adults and older people in Cumbria to maintain their independence. By the end of the first year, one in eight of the county’s older residents had used NCIP services.

Mary Bradley, Age UK West Cumbria said:  “The NCI programme has made a difference in West Cumbria, enabling a diverse range of third sector organisations to support the community with information, advice and activities which have contributed to improving people’s independence, health and wellbeing.

“It is therefore fitting that this innovative project should have picked up this award on behalf of everyone, including the many volunteers and community groups involved in making this a success”.