A team of committed volunteers has been named as finalists at the 2018 North West Charity Awards.
The North West Charity Awards are the charity world’s biggest event in the north, and Cumbria Community Foundation’s grants panel has been shortlisted for Volunteer Team of the Year Award in recognition of the vital work they do for the charity. The panel is made of 14 people, the majority being retired professionals and all either have relevant experience or are extensively involved in their communities across the county.
The panel meets five times a year and last year reviewed more than 1,300 applications requesting grant funding. When the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund was launched in December 2015, the panel met monthly and a sub-group was formed, consisting of 8 members convening daily to award grants to individuals and families affected by the flooding. The sub-group undertook a huge amount of work that only ended in November last year with the closure of the Recovery Fund in November, awarding £10.3 million in grants.
Representing the team on the night will be panel members Willie Slavin, Nick Utting, John Whittle, Hokey Bennet Jones, Saj Ghafoor and Chris Thomlinson.
Andy Beeforth, Chief Executive Officer, Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We are delighted our panel has been shortlisted for this award. Its members bring a whole range of experience and knowledge to help us make what can often be difficult decisions when assessing applications.
“Being finalists for Volunteer Team of the Year is a real homage to all the dedicated work they do for the Foundation and we are truly proud to have them on the team.”
Last year, Copeland resident Gary McKee was named the Fundraiser of the Year at the inaugural awards ceremony.
The grants panel members will find out if they have been successful at the North West Charity Awards dinner at The Principal Hotel in Manchester Friday 12th October.
