More than £225,000 has been handed out in funding to support community groups in the last year.
The Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund and Property Fund reinvests money seized from criminal behaviour and Cumbria’s Police and crime commissioner, Peter McCall has awarded £227,478 to organisations making a difference.
“Redistributing money that has come from the ill-gotten gains of criminals can only be a good thing and since the start of the pandemic, the Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund and Property Fund grants have provided excellent opportunities for community activities and local charities to put the money where it is needed most and have the biggest impact,” explained Mr McCall.
“Early on in the year, we adapted the fund into the Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund to help local charities and voluntary community groups to financially manage the new issues which were arising in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Such activities are often led by an enthusiastic army of volunteers and their resilience and ability to carry on and help others, regardless of restrictions or lockdowns, has been truly heartwarming to witness in the last 12 months and another reason why Cumbria communities are some of the safest and most kind-spirited places to live in the country.
“The latest round of the Property Fund concentrated on supporting projects that engage in community initiatives and interventions for people with mental health problems that may have arisen since the start of the pandemic. We received numerous and innovative applications, which indicates the local need for such projects at this time.
North/east Cumbria
Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund
- Appleby Deanery Synod Provision for rural youth club to purchase projector screen, crafts and activity items
- CHOFHS Youth Group – Equipment for youth group, crafts, sports equipment and camping.
- Carlisle MENCAP – mate and hate crime, exploitation, online sexual abuse, theft and fraud support.
- Dalston Bowling Club – air conditioning units in response to COVID-19.
- Penrith Pumas WRC – two bespoke wheelchairs for wheelchair rugby.
- Carlisle Key – counselling space for young homeless people (16-25 years old).
- Happy Hooves – RDA Equine facilitated coaching and wellbeing sessions.
- Carlisle Refugee Action Group – assisting refugees to pass their driving test.
- People First – adapting counselling services due to COVID-19.
- CADAS – staff to deliver drug/alcohol recovery support.
- Triple A Project (All About Autism) – adaptation of project delivery for people with autism.
- Carlisle Youth Zone – community-based youth work support for 10-15-year old.
- Spiral – support for victims of bullying.
- Penrith Cricket Club – contribution towards a mower.
- Age UK Carlisle and Eden – help and support for vulnerable older people throughout COVID-19 and into the recovery period.
- Brampton/Solway Network Youth Churches Youth – outreach work.
Property Fund
- Samaritans Carlisle – recruitment/training for listening volunteers.
- Farming Community Network Outreach – mental health training for Young Farmers Clubs.
- Pride in North Cumbria pantomime – equipment hire, promotion volunteer expenses.
- The Cumberland Ability Counts League – subsidising coaching and refereeing courses, values shield and rewards.
- Arden Explorer Scouts – uniform, badges, tents, rucksacks, expedition equipment, maps, stoves.
South Cumbria
Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund
- Growing Well, Kendal – activities/support to vulnerable people.
- Barrow Raiders Deliver Raiders on the Road ‘Advantage!’ – supporting young people after school.
- Gateway Church Advertising, project lead and volunteer expenses for neighbourhood chaplains in Kendal.
- CANDOFM Media campaign (video/audio interviews) opportunities for young people to get involved in broadcasting.
- Resource Creatives – supporting young people and combating knife crime.
- Bay Trust Radio Radio – software to allow presenters to broadcast from home.
- Signal Film and Media Support – activity packages for young people.
- Around the Combe HWB Alliance Volunteers – helping the vulnerable with meals, shopping, prescription collection, welfare checks.
- Cowran Training – providing a support worker.
- SAFA Self harm – support group, develop online toolbox of resources
- Right2Work CIC – skills-based training for young people who are beginning to disengage with school/college.
- Milnthorpe Family Centre – to support a holiday club.
- Drop Zone Youth Projects – supporting young people.
Property Fund
- Hindpool Tigers – first aid kit and rugby training equipment.
- Drop Zone Furness – mental health support for under 18s.
- Jigsaw – Kendal Community garden project.
- Well Minds, Kendal 12-week wellbeing programme for 16-18 yrs.
- Community Solutions, Ullverston – face to face/online support group equipment.
- Autus Cumbria, Kendal – social group support 17-25-year-olds with autism.
- Manna House, Kendal – mental health training for staff and volunteers.
- CADAS – dangers of drink/drug driving for young drivers.
- Anti-racist Cumbria – support young people from protected groups and encourage them to become peer mentors.
- Walney Churches Scout Group – digital zoom membership, sanitising equipment, clipboards.
- Impact Housing Young People’s Service – hug in a bag. Essential items for homeless people 16-24-years-old.
West Cumbria
Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund
- Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project – laptops, screens and gaming consoles to allow the virtual youth club to continue.
- South Workington Youth Partnership Community – support for families.
- Cumbria Youth Alliance – better outcomes for young people in the care system.
- Samaritans of West Cumbria – recruitment of volunteers.
- Brampton/Solway Network Youth Churches – youth outreach work.
- St John’s Methodist Church – holiday club.
- Time to Share Bereavement Services – eight-week course to support bereaved children and families in Copeland.
- Beginning Again – supervised opportunities for offenders, ex-offenders and those at risk of offending to gain outdoors work experience.
- Cockermouth Junior Football – folding goals, footballs, bibs and training equipment to enable to minimise sharing.
- Calvert Trust – funding will be used to support core staffing and operating costs for a charity working with 3,584 people with disabilities.
- 1st Hensingham Scout Group – outdoor equipment such as lighting that will allow for sessions to continue under current restrictions and social distancing rules.
- Autism support Allerdale and Copeland – workshops around challenging behaviour, sleep patterns and self-harming. Offer workshops out to schools.
- Millom Junior Football – the renewal of equipment for the football club.
- Wath Brow Hornets – contribution towards a mower for the rugby club.
- Egremont Youth Partnership – detached youth work.
Property Fund
- Millom Recreation Centre – splat mat, beginner’s soft springboard, foam springboard.
- Jericho Primary School – road Safety: banners and standalone signs, Road Safety Play.
- St James C of E Infant and Nursery School – traffic cones and ‘No Parking’ banners.
- Bookwell Primary School- banner, pavement signs, flying flag, traffic lights and safety tabards.
- St Gregory and St Patrick’s Infant School – ‘Think’ Banner, activity set and traffic lights.
- Moresby Primary School – ‘No waiting’ cones, safety banner, safety set.
- St Mary’s School, Kells – safety activity set, traffic lights and a traffic sign.
- Bransty School – ‘No waiting’ traffic cones, ‘no parking’ banner.
