A local conservation charity, the Lake District Foundation and the Lake District National Park are celebrating raising over £38,000 for the Orrest Head accessibility improvement project.
The fundraising campaign launched last autumn aims is create an alternative path to the summit of Orrest Head making it suitable for people with limited mobility, including people with powered-wheelchairs and families with pushchairs to see this spectacular viewpoint.
Donations for the project have been building over the last year but this week the fundraising campaign was successful in securing £5,000 from the TransPennine Express Transform Grants Fund: a community fund supporting projects that tackle youth unemployment, promote social inclusion and improve the environment.
Steve Tonkin, Lake District Foundation, said: “We are over the moon with this award from the Transform Grants Fund. It’s helped reach over £38,000 mark! We have an ambitious target of raising £50,000 in total but know with the support and generous donations from visitors and locals we can do it. You can make a donation today on our website, lakedistrictfoundation.org.”
The Lake District Foundation is working alongside the Lake District National Park, Windermere Town Council and South Lakeland District Council to drive this fundraising campaign forward. The plan is to restore a section of Victorian carriage drive and create an accessible path to the viewpoint, improve the water drainage and restore the eroded summit landscape, replace the worn-out seating, provide more information about the area and the view. The project also hopes to provide an all-terrain Lake District Mobility scooter for people to borrow to get to the viewpoint.
Marian Jones, Area Ranger, Lake District National Park said: “COVID-19 has had an impact on our project plans so we are now aiming to complete the project by December 2021, but this depends having the necessary funding in place. This project aims to help more people enjoy and appreciate the view from Orrest Head by creating improved, sustainable access to the summit. It is a project about people – removing barriers, providing opportunity, increasing understanding and building relationships. Thank you for your support.”
