Children from five schools across the county are each celebrating winning £200 worth of pencils in a competition run by Cumbria Community Foundation and The Cumberland Pencil Company.

The youngsters took up the artistic challenge of re-creating the Winter Warmth Fund Logo – a house with a woolly hat on – in a bid to win the prizes.

The winners were announced by the Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev James Newcome, at a special ceremony at The Pencil Museum in Keswick this morning.

The competition was designed to raise awareness of the Winter Warmth Fund which raises money for older Cumbrian’s who are struggling to keep warm. So far this winter, the fund has raised and distributed more than £43,500.

The wining schools are:

ALLERDALE Ashfield Junior School, High Street, Workington

BARROW Chapel Street Infant and Nursery, Dalton in Furness

CARLISLE Stanwix School, Church Street, Carlisle

EDEN Threlkeld Primary School, Threlkeld

SOUTH LAKELAND Heron Hill Primary School, Hayfell Avenue, Kendal

Each school received a certificate and were invited to choose Derwent Pencils up to the value of £200.

David Sharrock, Director and General Manager of The Cumberland Pencil Company, said: “We are delighted to support Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Fund by donating prizes for the schools competition. Raising awareness of the needs of the elderly during our cold Cumbrian winters will hopefully encourage more fundraising to help towards their ever-increasing fuel bills.”

Andy Beeforth, Director of Cumbria Community Foundation, explains the difference the Winter Warmth Fund has made: “So far this year we have raised and distributed £43,500, most of which has helped cold Cumbrian pensioners survive the worst of the winter. The appeal is still open for donations until the end of March.”

Bishop James said: “I was touched by the stories of some of the many hundreds of people who were helped by last year’s Winter Warmth Appeal.  Their bodies were warmed by other people’s generosity and so was my heart.  This year’s appeal has been equally successful.”

Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Fund Appeal saves lives by reducing both fuel poverty and the number of people in Cumbria living in cold homes.

It does this by asking for donations from the community. This money is then given to those in extreme need. Some of the donations come from older people who get the Government’s Winter Fuel Payment, but feel they don’t need it as much as others.

Andy Beeforth OBE and a group of leading Cumbrian’s slept above Stickle Tarn in the Langdale valley to raise awareness of Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Fund. The group had hoped to sleep on the aptly named Cold Pike but ice and snow on Wrynose pass made it dangerous to ascend from 3 Shires Stone.

Andy said: “The camaraderie provided by everyone made it a very special trip.” He added “We have up to two months of cold weather ahead of us so ask if people will please continue to donate to support the appeal?”

The ice on tents and bivvy bags proved that temperatures dropped below freezing. It was particularly cold for Nuclear Management Partner’s Gary McKeating who, along with Andy Beeforth chose to forego tents and slept under the stars in bivvy bags. Gary said “We’re very fortunate to be choosing to sample the cold and discomfort. Sadly for many people choosing between heating and eating is a daily decision”.

“The Winter Warmth Appeal has now raised £43,500 and we’ve already helped 120 older people with grants and expect that figure to rise to 300. We know from previous year’s appeals that this money saves lives – so our efforts are for a very good cause.”

Anyone can donate to Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Fund and the money raised will be given directly to those in need.

Donate Online http://www.justgiving.com/winterwarmthfund

Donate by Text – Simply send a text message to 70070 including our code WINT37  e.g. WINT37 £5 to 70070. You can donate £2, £5 or £10.

Donate by Cheque – Payable to: ‘Cumbria Community Foundation’ and write ‘Winter Warmth’ on the back. Post to: Cumbria Community Foundation, Dovenby Hall, Dovenby, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0PN.

For ideas on how people can stay safe and warm this winter and how you can help people in your community, click here.

Funded by Cumbria County Council and part of the Health and Social Wellbeing System, Place Based Prevention (PBP) is delivered through a partnership of third sector organisations who deliver a range of practical help and support for people living in the county. Support is provided by dedicated staff and volunteers to help customers maintain health and independence in their own home and community.

How does PBP work?
The PBP helplines act as one stop shops for independent information and advice. Where a customer could benefit from more assistance, we arrange a home visit by one of our Case Workers to provide face to face support and complete a holistic assessment of needs.

Who does PBP work with?
The PBP programme is for anyone in Cumbria who is aged 18 and over and needs help to deal with issues they are facing and wants support to improve their quality of life. Our Case Workers can help with a very wide range of issues including:

• General well-being – helping tackle feelings of depression or loneliness; feeling worried or struggling to relax; dealing with bereavement
• Income and employment – checking people are claiming all the benefits to which they are entitled, helping with money management
• Housing – help and advice for those who are struggling to manage their home or feel unsafe
• Social isolation – for those who feel unhappy with the level of contact they have with friends and family or who need help accessing local activities
• Leaving hospital – making sure people are safe and supported in the first few weeks after they leave hospital
• Health – reducing the risk of falling at home, general health advice and help with staying fit and active
• Aids and adaptations – equipment or minor adaptation needs in the home to help with mobility / daily living

How do people contact PBP?
If you live in Allerdale or Copeland, contact: Age UK West Cumbria
If you live in Barrow or South Lakeland, contact: Age UK South Lakeland
If you live in Carlisle or Eden, contact: Age UK Carlisle and Eden

PBP uses Compass in Cumbria – a ground breaking way of linking the third sector, Adult Social Care and Health. Click here to see the Compass eHub.

The Rivers Ride 2013 was launched on Sunday 10th February by inviting participants from last years event to take part in a gentle 10.6 mile ride, starting and finishing at Cockermouth School.

Those people who fundraised for the Foundation in 2012 also had the chance to collect their yellow jersey before heading out.

“Thank you for a lovely launch ride out and a most welcome cup of tea beforehand, and an even better one afterwards!” Chris Knox.

“Thanks for a great route. Perfect, if a little cold. Fingers & toes now fully defrosted.” Adrian North.

For more information, visit https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/riversride

Cumbria Community Foundation and Rather Be Cycling were there to assist with the ride.

Andy Beeforth, the man who heads up Cumbria Community Foundation,  will take to the fells and sleep in a bivouac overnight in a bid to bring attention to the plight of those who can’t pay their fuel bills this winter..

But he’ll only do it if the Winter Warmth Fund receives the same amount of donations as last year.

That means that five thousand pounds needs to be donated in the next two weeks!

If a grand total of £42,000 is reached by February 14, Andy will be joined on the fell top by Cumbria Community Foundation Trustee Chris Tomlinson; Cllr Ben Berry, South Lakeland District Councillor for Windermere, Applethwaite & Troutbeck, Gary McKeating, Head of Socio Economic Development at Nuclear Management Partners and Richard Leafe, National Park Chief Executive, who are all helping in this year’s final push to boost the total.

Andy said: “We have been given £37,000 so far by people around the county. The donations range from £25 to several thousand pounds. It is heartwarming that hundreds of people have donated money to help older people stay warm this winter. BUT, we had £42,000 last year and were able to help 433 older people. I will be really sad if we can’t help at least as many people again. I am hugely grateful that people continue to be so generous despite the increased cost of living. But I’d like to see us push the total higher.”

Chris Tomlinson said: “We have had such extreme weather this winter, much wilder than last year and this makes it harder for us all to stay warm and safe. Older people especially feel the cold and our Winter Warmth Fund means that they can put coal on the fire, oil in the tank, electricity in the meter or use the gas cooker for hot food without worrying so much. We’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, there are people who are choosing between eating food or heating their home right here in Cumbria this winter. Please help us help them.”

Cllr Ben Berry said: “Most of the houses in the area I am a councillor for are off mains gas and rely upon oil or coal for heating. We’re all seeing energy prices rise and facing the rising challenge of paying increasingly large energy bills. I decided to help Cumbria Community Foundation by agreeing to sleep out on the fells and raise awareness of this vital fund that helps older people in need.”

Gary McKeating, said: “I am always up for a challenge and sleeping out on a mountain before the daffodils are in bloom certainly will be. The Winter Warmth Fund is the only simple to apply for and quick to be issued grant available to older people this winter. The beauty of it is, it’s Cumbrian’s helping their neighbours and others in need across the county. What is raised here, stays here.”

The quartet will head for the hills overnight on the 16 / 17 February – if you’d like to help them reach the target before they sleep under canvas, you can:

Donate Online, donate by Text – Simply send a text message to 70070 including our code WINT37 (e.g. WINT37 £5 to 70070. You can donate £2, £5 or £10) or donate by cheque – payable to: ‘Cumbria Community Foundation’ and write ‘Winter Warmth’ on the back. Post to: Cumbria Community Foundation, Dovenby Hall, Dovenby, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0PN.

Anyone can donate to Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Fund and the money raised will be given directly to those in need.