Thirty-three Copeland organisations have been allocated a share of £1.8m of funding during the previous financial year, new figures reveal.

In Copeland Community Fund's final grants panel of the year, three youth organisations and a parish council were successful in securing funding for their projects, including Distington Club for Young People, who received £12,854 to continue to youth provision in the village.

Alongside Distington Club for Young People, North Copeland Youth Partnership also received £16,043 to fund core staff costs within the organisation. Cumbria Rungwe received £20,925 in order to support the running and administration costs of the organisation for the next five years, and St Bees Parish Council was allocated £4,000 towards a feasibility study for the proposed St Bees to Whitehaven Cycle Track.

Pippa De Gara, of Cumbria Rungwe, said: “This funding will underpin our entire organisation and operations for the next five years by supporting and enhancing our volunteer base, retaining current volunteers for longer, and covering our basic running costs so we can operate throughout Copeland.

"The help and support from the Community Development Team was invaluable, and would recommend any organisation to apply to the Copeland Community Fund, you really are made to feel like their only applicant."

Large projects at the final board meeting £455k was allocated to four organisations, including Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, who received £218,146 for a new base planned for the outskirts of Gosforth. 

West Cumbria Domestic Violence have received £87,779.00 for the Freedom Project, and Whitehaven Amateurs Football Club were allocated £57,687.36 for their 3G pitch refurbishment, which will be bringing in an additional £500k from the Football Foundation.

Copeland Work and Skills Partnership also received £92,217 for their ‘Work & Skills’ programme.

Bill Robson, from Whitehaven Amateurs Football Club, said: “The upgrading of our 3G pitch is a major but very necessary, undertaking for our club to ensure sporting provision well into the future. The financial and development support from Copeland Community Fund was vital to the project and we are looking forward to starting the construction during the summer months."

John Rowlands, chair of the Copeland Community Fund Board, said: “The Fund is delighted to be able to support such wide range organisations each year. £1.8m is a significant amount of funding that will help local projects meet their objectives. 

"We are incredibly fortunate that the Fund has the flexibility so that youth organisations can return if necessary to fill a void in funding and continue the work they do with the younger members of our community. 

"The Fund wish all the projects every success to turn their dreams into a reality and look forward to seeing more projects apply to the Fund in the coming year."