Six community projects have received a funding boost to help them look after lakes and rivers across Cumbria.
The Lake District Foundation joined forces with The Lakes Distillery to launch a £25,000 funding pot for projects that enhance and conserve water quality.
Six projects across the county have now been selected to receive funding from The Lakes Distillery Water Fund.
Sarah Smith, Lake District Foundation operations manager, said: “We are delighted to partner with The Lakes Distillery to support six fantastic community-led projects in the Lake District. Each is different but is all designed to make lasting improvements to water quality in our lakes and rivers.”
Nigel Mills, co-founder and CEO at The Lakes Distillery, said: “It is fantastic that we have an opportunity to support these community projects and to help them deliver against what are very important environmental aims.
“We look forward to seeing the projects get underway and our team at the distillery is also very excited to get directly involved by volunteering and helping to deliver some of these schemes.”
Isobel Stoddart, Chair of the Clean River Kent Campaign – one of the six projects – said: “We are delighted to receive funding to continue our volunteer monitoring work to help protect and preserve the ecology of the River Kent, as well as those that enjoy using it.
“This funding will enable us to get a much deeper understanding of the water quality along the length of our precious river.”
The Lakes Distillery Water Fund is one of several initiatives taking place this year across Cumbria to look after lakes and rivers.
Projects supported by Lakes Distillery Fund:
Organisation: Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Project: Habitat restoration at Eycott Hill Nature Reserve
Funding: £5,000
Description: The work will involve reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity, creating habitats and slowing water flow into Naddles Beck protecting communities, streams, rivers and lakes further downstream.
Organisation: Lake District Diving
Project: Cleaning Up Litter Hidden in our Lakes and Rivers
Funding: £2,000
Description: Working with the community and volunteers to remove litter from lakes and rivers in the Lake District. Working mainly at Windermere but also Rydal, Grasmere, Derwentwater, Ullswater, River Kent, and mountain tarns.
Organisation: Spring to Sea
Project: The Becks of Ullswater – tackling microplastic pollution
Funding: £4,750
Description: Spring To Sea is a community interest group. It intends to clean any plastic pollution from the becks running into Ullswater with the help of local volunteers.
Organisation: Sustainability and Energy Network, Staveley
Project: Clean River Kent Campaign
Funding: £3,250
Description: A community coalition from Staveley, Burneside and Kendal will apply for bathing water designation for two River Kent sites, to protect water-based recreational users from sewage health hazards and bring wildlife benefits.
Organisation: Lake District National Park Authority
Project: Bassenthwaite for all
Funding: £5,000
Description: To support a two-year project focusing on Bassenthwaite Lake. Habitat management – willow coppicing and improving the lakeshore habitats, establishing a new volunteer group, working with new and existing audiences to raise awareness of biosecurity measures, holding litter picks.
Organisation: West Cumbria Rivers Trust
Project: Data for the Derwent
Funding: £5,000
Project: Himalayan Balsam removal and fish surveys that inform future conservation work.
