The Lord Egremont Fund was created by Lord Egremont to support his family’s long-term involvement in the and to help people improve their lives by getting them involved in thier communities.

Although Lord Egremont grew up in Petworth in West Sussex, he regularly visited his mother, Lady Egremont who moved to the family estate in Cumbria in the late 1970’s. The Estate includes Cockermouth Caste and the ruins of Egremont Castle where it is open to the public. 

Lord Egremont, said: “I have been lucky enough to have known West Cumbria, particularly the town of Egremont, for almost seventy years. I have great admiration and respect for its people and am very happy to be able to help the community in this way.”

Calderwood House, a homeless hostel in Egremont received £5,000 for residents to work together with a trained horticulturist to grow vegetables on their newly acquired allotment site, which are then used in the kitchen. The project offers a safe and healthy space to work as a team, giving residents a support network to deal with issues such as isolation, depression and low self-esteem, as well as getting them out in the fresh air.

Rachel Holliday, Director, said: “We are always looking at new ways we can work with our community for the benefit of others. Thanks to the grant, residents will have the delight of growing their own food, providing a healthy diet with lots of learning in the fresh air, as well as keeping food costs down in the hostel. We know this grant will leave a real legacy to help the homeless in our area.”

A further £5,000 was given to Egremont Youth Partnership, which provides a range of activities throughout the week for young people, including young adults with learning disabilities.

 Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive at the Foundation, said: “There is a huge need in Cumbria, and that need is likely to grow, so our aim is to establish new funds and be in a position where we can help even more. Thanks to Lord Egremont’s investment into our community, we can support more people in an area he cares passionately about.

“The Foundation is aware people often get vital support from smaller local groups based within their communities. It is these locally based groups that truly understand the needs of the people they serve and make a huge difference to their lives.”