Cumbria County Council’s Local Committee for Carlisle – made up of councillors representing the district – have awarded more than £5,000 in grants to local community groups.
The grants will support the ongoing efforts of the community groups in helping local people through the Coronavirus pandemic.
The committee awarded the following grants:
Arthuret Parish Council – £2,500 towards developing their emergency COVID-19 food hub. The grant will enable the parish council to work in partnership with a new volunteer group to develop a Longtown Foodbank for the town. This will benefit local people and families who are struggling due to the ongoing pandemic. The group supports people with basic shopping, collecting prescriptions, a ‘chat and check’ service, and offers a ‘5 a day’ lunch pack for children who receive free school meals. The grant will also contribute towards food parcels and printing a regular newsletter to keep the community connected, particularly for those without access to the internet.
SW Watch – £657 towards setting up a community COVID-19 support group for Wetheral, Warwick Bridge, Cumwhinton, Cumwhitton, Scotby, Great Corby, and Heads Nook. This is a partnership between local churches, Eden Wild Goose community group and Wetheral Parish Council, who have come together to form ‘SW WATCH’ to help local residents with shopping and picking up prescriptions. The grant will also go towards printing leaflets to publicise the new service to every household in this large rural catchment area, and sourcing PPE equipment for volunteers.
Brampton Acting Together (BAT) – £2,000 – the group offers support through help with food and toiletries for adults and activity packs for children. To date, the group has 72 registered volunteers who liaise with outlying parish volunteer groups to reach as many people as they can. They also operate a dedicated helpline. The funding will be used to purchase essential food items and toiletries.
Cllr Cyril Weber, Chair of Carlisle Local Committee, said: “I am delighted that the committee is able to support the work of local community groups, both in the city and the more rural areas. The grants will help the community groups to continue providing such an important range of services for local people during these difficult times. It is humbling to see the enthusiasm and dedication of so many volunteers and local people involved in supporting and helping each other. My thanks to all involved for their ongoing efforts.”
For more information about community grants, visit the Community Support pages on the county council website, or email Carlisle.AreaSupport@cumbria.gov.uk
