[C]ommunity organisations across Cumbria are celebrating today after being awarded over £125,000 in National Lottery funding. The money, raised by players for good causes, is being distributed by the Big Lottery Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK. In total, 14 community projects in the county are receiving a share.
Villages, towns and cities across the county will be amongst those seeing the funding, including Carlisle, Workington and Windermere. Projects set to receive cash to support their work range from one seeking to install a defibrillator in Renwick to a group providing sailing activities for people with disabilities.
And, in the same week as International Women’s Day (8 March), there is also good news for Cumbria Gateway Limited in Carlisle, which has been granted £8,450 to set up a community café to help vulnerable women access training and work experience. The project will support local women to develop their skills so they can prepare to return to work.
Vanessa DeCastro, Development Manager at Cumbria Gateway Limited, said: “This is very welcome news and will make a real difference to women and girls in our local community. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to offer barista training to all women who access the centre, which will enable them to train in a safe environment and at their own pace.
“The café has already proven to be a great access point for ladies to meet up with friends and also see their support workers in a relaxing and welcoming environment. This grant will enable us to grow the community café area so it may become sustainable to provide training and opportunities for many years to come.”
James Harcourt, England Grant-Making Director at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Great community projects like Cumbria Gateway Limited are what National Lottery funding is all about. We can see how the money raised by players for good causes helps to bring ideas to life and gives people the opportunity to work together for the good of their community – in this case to support local women and girls.
“Whether from a village, town or city, we’re proud that our funding supports people who have identified what matters to them and their community and who want to make a positive change.”
The Big Lottery Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. As part of today’s announcement, it has revealed that it is making grants totalling £54 million going to almost 1,800 community organisations across England. See the full list of projects HERE.
To find out more visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.
