'Levelling up' funding boosts Cumbrian organisations

The Cumbria Community Foundation bestowed these funds to various groups throughout the county, as a part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). The money aims to provide start-up business guidance and move those distant from the labour market closer to employment, through upskilling and volunteering opportunities.

The Foundation carried out the role of managing applications to these life-changing funds on behalf of Cumberland Council, in collaboration with Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership.

Giving out a total of £389,994, projects across Cumberland found themselves boosted with invaluable financial aid.

Growing Well was one such organisation, granted £23,036 for a minibus service at their brand-new site in Egremont.

The group offers free and specialised mental health intervention to adults experiencing mental health issues.

They involve these people in outdoor activities at their three market gardens in Cumbria, improving well-being through nature.

Growing Well's partnerships manager for North Cumbria, Catherine Bentley, shared her gratitude: "The money we received has enabled us to buy a minibus for our new site in Egremont and help fund driver recruitment and training, also creating jobs in the local community.

"Growing Well offers free transport to site for all its volunteers and by doing so removes barriers to accessing free mental health support for people who live in isolated communities or don’t have their own transport but who badly need our help."

The Rebuild Site CIC, a social enterprise taking surplus materials from construction sites to gift to charities and community groups, received £39,940 to expand operations into West Cumbria.

Director Maisie Hunt said: "We are delighted to have been awarded funding through the UKSPF and REPF to support the expansion of The Rebuild Site CIC into Workington.

"The grant will allow us to set up a second site with a community focus, bringing low cost materials and sustainable, practical and DIY skills sharing to the area, and reduce useful materials going to waste."

Additionally, the Centre for Leadership Performance received £19,500 to organise a series of workshops for businesses and future retirees.

Catherine Eve, the executive director, said: "Thanks to the funding, we have been able to scale up our Sense of Purpose programme.

"This means we can reach more retirees, helping them to plan for a fulfilling retirement and connect them to more local services, volunteering and employment opportunities."

Other Cumbrian projects to reap benefits from the funding ranged from providing new electric vehicle charge points to promoting land-based apprenticeships.

Cumberland Council's leader, Cllr Mark Fryer, expressed his delight, as he said: "Dozens of businesses and organisations have benefited from the funding, and more than £1.3 million has been granted so far.

"We would like to thank partners for their support and look forward to seeing these funded schemes develop in the future."

Further grant funding through the UKSPF and REPF will be available soon, as per Annalee Holiday, head of grants practice & programmes at the foundation confirmed.

She said: "We know how innovative our communities, charitable organisations and social enterprises are in identifying and initiating activities for the benefit of residents.

"To be able to access revenue and capital costs through this allocation of funding can make the world of difference for such initiatives. "This will have a real impact – from individual businesses to entire communities.

"A further round of UKSPF and REPF grant funding will be open for application in the upcoming weeks. Please get in touch if you would like to apply."

For further information on available grant funding through the Cumbria Community Foundation, please visit www.cumbriafoundation.org, or contact the grants team on 01900 820827 or at grants@cumbriafoundation.org.