Cumbria Community Foundation marks its 25th anniversary this year and kicked off its anniversary celebrations with its annual dinner in Barrow last night.
In 1999, it was the dream of John Fryer-Spedding and the late Arthur Sanderson along with trustees from across the county to create an organisation that would grow philanthropy and generate new funds to support the people and communities of Cumbria.
Now, 25 years later, the foundation is celebrating its silver anniversary and the thousands of lives impacted by its efforts.
The celebration dinner was held at Abbey House Hotel in Barrow-in-Furness, after the grant-making charity awarded its very first grant in Furness in 1999 to STEPS, a charity providing support for children experiencing bereavement and separation.
The foundation has come a long way since then. It has developed a real understanding of the challenges facing different communities across Cumbria and created grant making funds and grants programmes, providing long-term, sustainable solutions. Over the last quarter of a century, more than £60 million in grants have been awarded, covering every corner of the county and every type of need.
Through its grant making and fundraising, the foundation has supported its local communities through difficult times, from responding to foot and mouth disease in 2001 and flooding in 2005, 2009 and 2015, providing vital funding for charities, individuals and families.
The foundation now manages more than 100 grant making funds on behalf of families and businesses and works in collaboration with partners, including Sellafield Ltd and the NHS, to distribute around £6 million in grants every year across the county.
“Philanthropy, at its core, is the desire to make a positive impact on the world,” said Andy Beeforth, CEO of the foundation. “The power of philanthropy can change lives.”
“None of this could have been achieved without the help of our generous supporters – ordinary people and businesses who want to invest in and give back to their local communities.”
As part of the 25th celebrations, businesses and individuals alike are being encouraged to get involved through setting up an Acorn Fund – these funds are invested and grown over time through regular and one-off donations, with the returns being used to fund grants and ensure long-term support for voluntary and community organisations to improve the lives of the people and communities of Cumbria.
The foundation has already teamed up with Cumbria Tourism, who have started an Acorn Fund to celebrate its own anniversary.
And, later in the spring, the foundation is launching a corporate fundraising campaign encouraging people to get active and raise money for the Cumbria Fund, which funds projects to improve lives countywide through a focus on health and mental wellbeing, increasing life and employability skills and strengthening community cohesion
