ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 ACT champions community & rural issues

New addition to the ACT Team ACT is pleased to welcome Katie who joined us earlier in the year. Find out more about Katie and the work that she will be doing on page 10.

Community Hero Awards This year ACT is sponsoring an award in each of the three Newsquest district’s Community Heroes Awards - ‘Best Community Champion’ or ‘Best Community Project’. We would encourage all our Supporters, partners and project contacts to consider entering. See page 12 for details and keep an eye out in your local Cumbrian newspaper.

Geoff Brown Innovation Award £100 Innovation award in memory of a past colleague, recognising an individual / group’s innovative community work in 2018-19. Please visit: www.cumbriaaction.org.uk/ New to the team: Katie Milburn News-Events/News for details and entry form.

Inside this issue: Save the Date:

Communities Housing Hub Launch Case Study: Sockbridge & Tirril Community Led Plan Community Plan ’Wheel’ available for groups to borrow Thurs 18 July, 3pm - 5pm Glenridding Village Hall Community Buildings Come chat to us at: Case Study: Loweswater Village Hall Ballroom Dancing  Village Halls Network and Facebook group Skelton Show - Sat 6 July Lowther Show - Sun 11 Aug Village Hall Improvement Grant Fund Gosforth Show - Sat 17 Aug Fit for the Future - Fit for Funding Hawkshead Show - Tues 20 Aug Beck Community Centre awarded Hallmark 2 Ennerdale Show - Wed 28 Aug Village Halls Week 2020 - join in the celebration Loweswater Show - Sun 1 Sept

ACT News - Project Updates & Events ACT AGM Neighbourliness Works Wed 30 Oct, 10am - 3pm Welcome Gareth & Katie; Big Lunch; Local show dates Crosby-on-Eden Parish Hall Housing Hub and Transport updates Lake District Communities and World Heritage Status Contact Dani at ACT on  ACT sponsors Community Heroes Awards Tel: 01228 817224

Other News - Events, Funding Opportunities etc. Email: [email protected]

Use this QR Code and Follow us on Twitter Find us on your smart phone app to @ACTCumbria Facebook ACT go direct to our website.

Hello, We’ve continued our Rural Survey over recent

It’s lovely to see the sun months, speaking to people on the streets and and even better to hear of in supermarkets, and now have over 2,000 so many of you celebrating responses about what you think the important neighbourliness with a Big issues are for maintaining rural life. ACT will be Lunch (see page 10). at a range of local shows over the summer (page 10) asking people more about rural We recently had our own services and Neighbourliness, please do come Big Lunch for everyone and share your experiences with us. based here at Skirsgill Business Park. It was great to meet people from the other businesses The biggest issues highlighted by the survey and Active Cumbria came along to share some are transport and affordable housing, which games too! we’re covering on page 11. For many, rural housing issues are a challenge, but if you’re Further details of our Neighbourliness Works young and on a limited income there are few project and social media campaign for Cumbria choices. We’ll be working with Cumbria Youth can be found on page 9. We’ve been very Alliance over the summer looking at the options pleased to also have the support of Cumbria for young people in the rural housing market County Council Social Care and Public Health and exploring community led initiatives that teams for this work. could be developed to meet needs.

We’ve also had some good news from the In memory of our past colleague Geoff Brown National Lottery Community Fund recently as who sadly died earlier this year, we’re creating they have awarded ACT £150,000 over 5 years a one off £100 award for innovation in a rural towards our core service offer of supporting Cumbrian community. Geoff worked for the communities to: charity for many years and was a great  Plan for their future; innovator. Further details of the Geoff Brown Message from Lorrainne, CEO Lorrainne, Message from Innovation Award will be on our website soon.  Develop projects;  Work with others; and Finally, from April this year our membership  Influence and change policy. conditions changed and ACT no longer charges fees for membership. We ask that all who We look forward to working with them over the previously made a membership payment next few years to continue building rural instead consider making a donation. Please community sustainability. contact us for details (see back page). We’re

There is also good news about the Village Hall also setting up a simple ‘Donate’ button on our Improvement Grant fund (page 7). We’re keen website so it will be even easier to donate, add for Cumbrian halls to benefit from this national Gift Aid, and support our charity’s work.

initiative but be aware funds are limited and All classes of membership will now be ACT may be committed before the last application Supporters, receiving all the benefits of full deadline, so please apply soon if you have a membership, except for voting at our AGM, project. which will be restricted to our Trustees. We will

ask for the opinions of our Supporters at our

We’re currently doing some consultation work for the Solway Coast AONB, on their new AGM and using surveys throughout the year. Management Plan, and attended the We currently have 1,100 ACT Supporters and Vintage Rally (on a very wet and windy June in celebration of the year the charity started, Saturday!). Several gazebos blew away but it hope to reach 1,948 by our AGM on the 30th faired up in the afternoon and Sunday was October, which will be the end of our 70th year. glorious so we were able to speak with over 80 people, with 40 voting on the distinctive qualities for the AONB area.

Responses are welcome from both visitors and locals so do visit: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue Remember if you support us - we can SolwayCoastAONB-MP to give your views. better support you! Sign up now! 2

The group applied to ACT for a Community

Plan grant and fundraised locally, including

running popular foreign language group classes.

Members of the steering group visited 20 other local groups (church, bowls club, Women’s Guild, Parish Council etc.) and contacted local businesses. They also spoke with Barton parish about their Community Plan experience.

Case Study: Suggestion boxes were put in the village hall Communities Sockbridge and Tirril and pub, and a couple of drop-in sessions held. Whilst not many people attended the Community Led Plan sessions, they felt it was important to give The of Sockbridge and Tirril everyone the opportunity to find out what was consists of two small conjoined villages in happening and give their views. A handout the Eden valley, between Penrith and designed for young people was given to Pooley Bridge. The community decided to children coming off the school bus and the embark on a Community Led Plan, ‘to help local school was invited to be involved.

make Sockbridge and Tirril a better place to However silly or sensible an idea, they were all live, work and visit’. recorded and then categorised using the Background headings on the wheel. The household survey then grew out of these initial ideas, with over Following a presentation from ACT about 90% of ideas represented in the questionnaire. Community Led Planning at a Parish Council meeting in 2016, Councillor Sindy Phillips ACT’s questionnaire design guide helped the organised two open meetings for others in the group to consider the way questions were community to hear about the process and asked e.g. to avoid ‘leading’ questions, and invited volunteers to get involved. also advised a test-run before distribution. Further changes were then made so it was as Around 50 people attended the events and it easy as possible for people to respond. was decided that a Community Plan would be a good idea for the parish. A steering group of People were encouraged to complete the 8 people formed and efforts were made to questionnaire online to minimise the task of ensure it was representative of the community, data inputting and the hand written responses including residents from both villages. As well were shared between the group to enter onto as having an open invitation for anyone to get the online system. They had a successful involved, they also approached individuals who 55.4% response rate (210 responses), with the they felt had particular skills or experience majority from older residents. which could be useful. Turning the responses into an action plan was The Project one of the hardest stages; the group split into

3, each taking different headings to write about The group decided to launch their community and decided a lot by email, circulating drafts consultation at the Summer Fair as a great and making comments. way to meet lots of people and let them know what it was all about.

A big cart wheel donated from the Community Planning group in nearby Barton parish, with headings based on the ‘Egan Wheel’ for a sustainable community, helped to get people thinking: ‘Social and Cultural; Governance; Transport and Connectivity; Services; Housing 58 people attended the Plan’s launch, enjoying a ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue and the Built Environment; Equity; Economy’. delicious buffet and fascinating virtual heritage tour

3 of significant buildings in the parish.

30 people attended an Action Plan event to

feedback on the final draft, help prioritise

actions, and volunteer to deliver them. The Parish Council also endorsed the Plan, following amendments to an action in line with Planning policy.

What has been Achieved? The completed Plan was launched in early 2019 with various actions already underway, including a litter pick group, village website,

Communities and heritage trail map. It’s created lots of local Would you like to borrow the enthusiasm and volunteers; there are only a few actions which don’t yet have enough Community Plan Wheel?

people to take them forward. The steering The wooden cart wheel, kindly donated by group has also chosen to continue as a Barton parish to Sockbridge and Tirril for their delivery group for the Plan. Community Plan consultation, is now with ACT

and available for other Community Plan groups Comments have been really positive and the to borrow. group has been widely thanked for their work in

the community. One resident in her 80’s said The wheel is a great visual aid to help promote “You’ve kick started this community into action your Plan and encourage people to consider a with refreshing ideas and a pro-active wide range of issues and actions for the future. approach”. It can be personalised with headings of your The Learning choice but we’d recommend using those from It’s important the Plan represents the views of the ‘Egan Wheel’ showing characteristics of a the community - even if this means actions sustainable community: which individual members of the steering group don’t personally agree with.  Services: Public, private and community and voluntary services that are accessible to all. It helped to speak with other Community  Environmental: Providing places for people Planning groups about their experience and to to live in an environmentally friendly way. have examples of success when starting out. We also used a basic ‘script’ when talking with  Equity: Fair for everyone in our diverse world groups, which could be adapted as needed, to and for both today’s and tomorrow’s help keep a clear and consistent message. communities.  Economy: A thriving and vibrant local There have been some difficult moments, economy. particularly when some members of the group felt they couldn’t carry on. Those that remained  Housing & the Built Environment: High felt rather lonely in those latter stages, and had quality buildings. an increased workload, but were keen to move  Social & Cultural: Active, inclusive and safe forward. However, we never felt ‘alone’ - ACT with a strong local culture and other shared has been very supportive and we always knew community activities. there was somewhere to go to ask questions or  Governance: Well run communities with discuss something. effective and inclusive participation, Aim to make your public events comfortable representation and leadership. and enjoyable - people still comment on the  Transport & Connectivity: Well connected ‘brilliant’ talk and refreshments at the launch. communities with good transport services and communications linking people to jobs, Contact Details health and other services. For more information please contact Sindy

ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue Contact us at ACT for more information Phillips by Email: [email protected] 4 (see back page for details).

Other activities at the hall, including table

tennis and indoor bowls, are all volunteer run.

Val also enjoys ballroom dancing and felt this Oulton VH - future Case Study would be a popular activity to introduce locally. Re: Facebook page and use of The need for a paid instructor would increase ‘easyfundraising’ via online the running cost and in this isolated community purchases to raise money for Val recognised she needed some support to the hall. get it started: Case Study: “The challenges of increased second home Loweswater Village Hall ownership, and a lack of public transport Ballroom Dancing meaning people move into town when they can no longer drive, can make it more difficult to get Loweswater village, is a small community activities off the ground as there are less situated between Loweswater and residents to support them.” Crummock waters, with a population of 230.

Community Buildings Community “I felt it would be a popular activity as it seems The community are very active and have to be doing very well elsewhere - the local U3A joined with the neighbouring parishes of group run a session in with over Lorton, Blindbothel, and Buttermere to form 100 participants and people travel from all over the Melbreak Communities initiative. to join in”. Together they have a Community Led Plan, Community Emergency Plan, sustainable The ‘Getting Active in Village Halls’ grant from energy project and First Responders group. ACT funded a series of eight sessions covering the cost of hall hire, publicity, refreshments and Background an experienced instructor.

In 2018 The LACE UP project, funded by Sport What Has Been Achieved? and managed by ACRE (Action with Communities in Cumbria) awarded grants to 10 A series of ballroom dancing sessions have projects in Cumbria to build new participation in been held at the hall, with between four and sustainable physical recreation activities in eight couples taking part at each. rural areas. Individuals, as well as couples are welcome to ACT assisted ACRE with the LACE UP project attend, with Val often pairing up with and was awarded a grant to deliver ‘Getting newcomers without a dancing partner. There is Active in Village Halls’, specifically to work with a charge of £3 per person, per session. village halls to develop projects trialling new physical activities for the local community. The class meets on Monday afternoons and stops for tea, biscuits ACT promoted the project to village halls and a chat halfway across the county and Loweswater Village Hall through. was one of those keen to try something new.

In order to ensure The Project numbers don’t dip over the summer, Val Bell is one of the committee members at participants agreed to Loweswater Village Hall and runs a ‘do it take a break and re- yourself’ fitness club there. Between 5 and 10 start classes in the people attend the club, taking turns to ’lead’ the Autumn. weekly sessions. Val jokes “It’s usually me but when I can’t, others take over”. Participants having

Participants pay £2 per keep fit session, which fun practicing the ‘Quick Step’ has so far raised £700 for the hall. ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue (cont. on page 6) 5

Cumbria Village Halls Network: Dancers taking a ‘turn’ around the room. Join in person - or on Facebook! Feedback from one of the participants: “Its really good to get out and do some gentle @CumbriaVHN exercise with others. Dancing is such a sociable activity and sometimes we move quite We are delighted to announce that the fast when the music takes us!” Cumbria Village Halls Network is now active on Facebook. If your Village Hall is already on The Learning Facebook, please take a minute to find and Community Buildings Community join the group so you can share your  Offering ballroom dancing has attracted new information - and learn from as many Halls users to the hall. The grant made it possible across Cumbria as possible. to trial this new activity in a very rural location. It’s worked as a guarantee against The Facebook group is friendly and loss and allowed the group to put the welcoming. It’s intended to be a platform for participant fees towards the cost of running asking and answering questions about the day future classes. to day activities of Village Halls and  Summer is not necessarily the best time to community buildings. This is a peer advice trial a new activity! People often have network so we’re interested in sharing how holidays booked and can’t commit to coming you do things locally such as event promotion, every week at that time. But we’ve adapted community engagement and fundraising. and look forward to inviting even more Anyone who is on a Village Hall committee people when sessions start again in the can ask to join and we know you all have Autumn. something to offer to the conversation.

 Tea, biscuits and chat are an important part So far there have been queries about of the session, building neighbourliness and insurance, buying and selling crockery, combating social isolation. building condition surveys and local architects,  Having an informal setting and atmosphere to mention a few. Wide ranging, but specific to helps to attract people to ‘have a go’. No the Village Hall community, so please join in special shoes, clothes, or experience and share what you know. required! Also, recruiting the right tutor makes all the difference! If your hall doesn't have a Facebook presence but you would like some help to create one,  Sometimes you have to just try something! please get in touch with Fran at ACT (see The LACE UP funding provided the perfect back page) and she will send some guidance opportunity to do this. through. The Network will be a supportive, informative presence, perhaps just the push Contact Details you needed to give Facebook a go...

For more information about the project at Volunteers from the Network are also Loweswater Village Hall please contact Val helping ACT in other ways. If you want to Bell by Email: [email protected]. discuss how you can help build the

The LACE UP project has now concluded but ACT will capacity and strength of Cumbrian Village contact halls if other similar opportunities arise. Halls with ACT (beyond Facebook!) please get in touch. ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue 6

Village Hall Improvement Fit for the Future Grant Fund - Fit for Funding

The Autumn 2018 budget announced that, to If you are in conversation with the National mark the centenary of the Armistice, Community Lottery Fund about a grant for your Government would support several initiatives, village hall, they may direct you to talk to ACT. including making available £3M grant funding We are working with the Lottery, supporting to support improvement projects for village community buildings to make better funding halls. applications. This is great - a real opportunity for us to help build capacity and strength in the The aim of the grant funding is the updating sector. and refurbishment of village halls so that they are fit for purpose and provide activities which Specifically we are supporting Village Halls to seek to achieve one or more of the following show: Community Buildings Community outcomes for their communities:  Sound financial and business planning to support an application.  Improved health and wellbeing/reduction in loneliness  Robust governance and good charity management, through use of the Hallmark 1  Demonstrates a positive impact on the Quality Mark checklist. environment  Good community engagement and support for  Supports the local rural economy what you do.

The grant will be managed by Action with  Awareness of your local context, other Communities in Rural England (ACRE) on facilities in the area and how they are used. behalf of Defra with support from the ACRE This is vital for showing that you are meeting Network. a community need in a sustainable way.

How much can be applied for? Alongside Hallmark, we are developing a Peer Assessment for applications which will be led The scheme will fund up to 20% of eligible by members of the Cumbria Village Halls costs, with a minimum grant of £10,000 and a Network. The Lottery are very supportive of this maximum grant of £75,000 payable. This grassroots approach and want to see if it means overall scheme costs would be between something to replicate elsewhere. £50,000 and £375,000.

ACT will work with applicants who are referred There will be greater emphasis given to from the lottery and we are happy to talk with applications which have already secured most you before you approach the lottery to see if of the funding. your proposal is eligible. How to apply Applications should be for between £10,000 Applications are via the ACRE website:

and £100,000. There are other funds to support acre.org.uk/our-work/village-hall-improvement- larger and smaller applications. Please note grant%20fund.php where you can also though, in order to have greatest impact in the download guidelines and eligibility criteria. largest number of communities, we are advised that successful applications are likely to be This is a two-stage application process: Stage below £40,000. If you are planning a large One is completion of an online form and project, it is beneficial to show that you are costings. Stage Two is the submission of a full already making progress with securing money application at any time before March 31st 2020 from other sources. or until it is announced that the Fund is fully committed. Funds are limited and may all be Please get in touch nice and early in the committed before the Stage Two application development of your ideas. ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue deadline. (see back page for contact details) 7

Congratulations Beck Community Centre

Beck Community Centre in is the latest Cumbrian hall to achieve Hallmark 2 quality status, recognising the good management and Village Halls Week 2020 effective running of the centre. Join England’s largest Committee Chair Helen Whittaker, said of celebration of village halls Hallmark: “It’s a challenge but one that's certainly worth doing. It has made us look at Village Halls week is a national celebration of how we operate and put systems, policies and village halls, their volunteers and the services procedures in place that mean if we step down they offer their communities. it should be clear to new committee members This year Village Halls Week gained Community Buildings Community as to how the centre is run. substantial attention for village halls including “It has been a team effort to achieve the award being featured across 16 BBC stations. and this has helped the whole committee understand what is involved in running the Next year, Village Halls Week will run from Centre. It has felt good knowing that we had Monday 20 to Sunday 26 January 2020. If you already had the necessary checks in place to would like to put the spotlight on your hall see comply with legislation and good practice but our ideas below on how to get involved: has pointed up the need for a good system to ensure these are carried out. Share your history

“We have learned a lot from doing Hallmark Thursday 23 January 2020 and use it as an ongoing tool. I would Share you hall’s history on social media using encourage any village hall or community centre the hashtag #tbt (Throwback Thursday) and to have a go - the help we receive from ACT #villagehallsweek. You could put up old has been invaluable and we never feel we are pictures of past flyers, detail significant guests, doing it alone.” share an old film or write an article on your history. For more information about Hallmark, contact ACT (see back page) or visit our website: National Open Day www.cumbriaaction.org.uk/What-We-Do/ Saturday 25 January 2020 Hallmark-Quality-Standard Next year there will be halls holding open days across all of England. This is a great opportunity to get new trustees, new user groups, boost community engagement and get a visit from your local MP.

ACT will soon be able to provide you with a marketing pack from ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England). Please Helen Whittaker contact us to register your interest (see back (right) receives page for details). Hallmark Two certificate from ACT’s Lorrainne Smyth, on behalf of the Beck Community

ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue Centre trustees

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Neighbourliness Works Campaign for Neighbourliness

ACT’s new ‘Neighbourliness Works’ project ACT facilitates the Cumbria Neighbourliness launched at our 70th AGM last October. Network because we believe that we can all (with very little effort) be nicer to each other

When looking back over our history, we and improve the quality of our own and others ACT News ACT identified people being ‘neighbourly’ as a core lives. part of the work we’ve been supporting across the county. We decided to capitalise on this We see this happening in many communities and promote it as a specific initiative: all over Cumbria. The ‘Kind Cumbria’ social Neighbourliness Works. media campaign gives a little push and support to organisations and individuals to be more There are four elements to the project: neighbourly. Its also a small movement towards addressing social isolation and  ‘Kind Cumbria’, the Cumbria Neighbourliness Network social media campaign. loneliness.

 Working with Cumbria Neighbourhood Watch Each month, for the next year, there will be to support local co-ordinators to promote messages and posts shared about being more neighbourly activities in addition to their crime neighbourly, linked in to a particular theme and prevention activities. colour. The campaign launched in May, with the colour pink and the theme of ‘mental  Promoting Good Neighbour Schemes, like health’, to tie in with Mental Health Awareness the one running in (Case Week. Study: www.cumbriaaction.org.uk/Resources -Publications/Case-Studies). You can find Cumbria Neighbourliness Network on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  Encouraging communities to be resilient @Kind_Cumbria, to begin interacting and through planning for the future, planning for sharing posts. Please also share what you’ve change, and planning for emergencies. been doing in your community, using the In the last six months, ACT has completed four hashtags below so we can track them: street surveys, asking people about their #KindCumbria #CumbriaNeighbours communities, neighbourliness and loneliness. #NeighbourlinessNetwork

When asked whether they felt part of a If you don’t use social media, please contact neighbourly community, we found a 50:50 split us with an ideas or events you’d like us to in responses. Many mention supporting elderly share (contact details on back page). neighbours with odd jobs or shopping, whilst others talk about people being ‘stand-offish’ Being neighbourly and distant. doesn’t mean you need to be the best of friends

We’d like to promote and encourage more of with your neighbours, it’s about looking out for one the wonderful neighbourly activity going in another. communities, and support those who’d like to From taking in a parcel do more. Neighbourly actions, big or small, all to bringing in the wheelie make a difference. bin - neighbourliness comes in all different The Neighbourliness Works project will support forms!

any community that wants to how to build neighbourliness in their area. For more Cumbria Neighbourliness Network social media information or to discuss your ideas, please campaign is funded by the Public Health Team, and the contact us at ACT (See back page for details). Neighbourhood Watch work by Adult Social Care both at Cumbria County Council ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue 9

Growing ACTion

ACT welcomed two new Development Officers to the team in March 2019 - Katie Milburn and Gareth Douglas-Brown.

ACT News ACT Gareth Douglas Brown

Sadly, Gareth has since passed away. He was Have you had a ‘Big Lunch’ this year? ACT the West Cumbria Development Officer and joined in the national initiative by organising many of you will have had useful and effective our own Big Lunch event for everyone here at contact with him during his six months with us. Skirsgill Business Park.

Gareth was a valued member of the team and The sun shone and it was a great opportunity will be missed. to chat with our business neighbours. It’s too easy to simply pass by the other offices and We will be reappointing in due course but in workshops every day, without stopping to say the meantime, for all West Cumbria enquires hello - and the same can often be true of our please contact the ACT office on Tel: 01228 communities. 817224 or Email: [email protected]. The Big Lunch idea is a simple way to bring Katie Milburn people together, share food, have fun, and get Katie is championing community-led housing to know each other. This year many events and assisting Copeland Borough Council with were held on the first weekend in June, but the challenge of reducing empty homes, that didn’t work for us, so we chose a date alongside overseeing some key environmental which did - you can do the same. projects. Like the idea of a Big Lunch, or maybe a Lunar Katie has a background in environmental Lunch, or even Disco Soup? Visit: conservation and rural research, and has www.edenprojectcommunities.com/ previously worked at West Cumbria Rivers thebiglunchhomepage for details. Trust, Lancashire Wildlife Trust and at the University of Worcester. Come see us at the Show Katie says “I’m keen to get stuck in supporting communities to take on affordable housing ACT will be at the following local Cumbrian projects for themselves. The likes of Distington Shows; come chat to us, and pick up a balloon! Big Local and the Joseph & Eleanor Gunson Visit individual show websites for details: Almshouses Trust are prime examples of how the seemingly ‘mission impossible’ can  Sat 6 July - Skelton Show www.skeltonshow.com become possible, and quite literally transform lives.”  Sun 11 Aug - Lowther Show www.lowthershow.co.uk  Sat 17 Aug - Gosforth Show www.gosforthshow.co.uk

 Tues 20 Aug - Hawkshead Show www.hawksheadshow.co.uk

 Wed 28 Aug - Ennerdale Show www.ennerdaleshow.co.uk  Sun 1 Sept - Loweswater Show www.loweswatershow.com

ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue

Is ACT coming to your local show? 10

Cumbria Mobility Network

For three years ACT has been facilitating a working group on transport and travel solutions and whilst this seems like a long time, the Housing Hub Website group (including Cumbria County Council, the going live North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, Community Transport in Cumbria and others)

One of the key pieces of work to establish the often comments “If this was easy, we ACT News ACT Community Led Housing Hub for Cumbria and wouldn’t need to do it!’. Lancaster is being rolled out in July - a new website has been created to bring together We’ve identified communities with challenges national advice and information alongside local in rural transport provision and are seeking contacts and advisers. funding to pilot ‘gap filling and integration’ solutions to help ease these challenges. Visit www.clhhub.org from 18 July Something many people have told us would help is a single point of contact for travel information. Improvements in information and communications technology should help us achieve this.

The most challenging initiative we hope to develop is to promote different use of our private cars - car and lift sharing and other communal travel solutions.

The Cumbria Mobility Network is keen to make a sustainable difference to local travel issues House building in rural areas often gets across Cumbria. For details contact ACT’s feelings running high. The Community Led Lorrainne Smyth (details on back page). Housing Hub wants to support engagement with local housing needs and help to explore if existing housing can sustain a functional ACT is pleased to be working with one of community in the future. Cumbria’s most resilient community transport groups as they formalise their structure, ready We’re regularly being told that we are facing a to deliver their ambitious plans. housing ‘crisis’ and the cost of buying or renting property in parts of Cumbria is 10 times The Friends of the X112 average earnings. We are interested in talking formed more than four years to communities about Community Led Housing ago to support the vital bus as part of the answer to this. services between Barrow, and Coniston when By taking control of local development, groups

commercial services were cut. of people are getting high quality affordable housing built in villages and hamlets where a ACT is advising the trustees as they register commercial developer would find it difficult to with the Charity Commission as a Charitable build in the small numbers required. Creating Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is three or four new family homes in a small supporting the group to write a comprehensive community can make a big difference to Business Plan, to help them secure funding sustaining local services, schools and shops. and investment for the non-profit bus service they will continue to provide. Earlier this year Is your community sustainable? Please get in the group commissioned a short aerial film touch if you’re interested in having a highlighting both the beauty and the rurality of conversation with us in your community about the area served: https://tinyurl.com/y5felxv3. ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue some of the options available to you. 11 Keep up the good work!

World Heritage

Site Report Completed Celebrating our Cumbrian Community Heroes Earlier this year 225 people responded to ACT is all about working with communities in ACT’s online survey about Lake District Cumbria so we’re delighted to let you know

Communities and World Heritage Status. The that we will be sponsoring an award category ACT News ACT survey, on behalf of the Lake District National in each of Newsquest’s district Community Park Partnership, included comments and Heroes Awards in the coming year. information from earlier community events. We’re sponsoring ‘Best Community Champion’ Using World Heritage Status as a focus, the or ‘Best Community Project’ category in each aim was to generate conversation and foster area and would really like to encourage all our working relationships, between communities Supporters, partners and project contacts to and agencies, in order to tackle some of the consider entering for these awards. difficult issues. & Copeland 2019  81% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that World Heritage Status provides The West Cumbria an opportunity to develop the international awards are the most visitor profile of the Lake District. established (the deadline for entries is  76% of respondents either agreed or strongly very soon - 12 July) agreed with the following statement; “Parts of and winners will be the Lake District are full. Our infrastructure announced at the end of November. cannot cope with more visitors.”  75% of respondents agreed or strongly & Barrow 2019 agreed that Hill Farming is at the heart of The new South Cumbria awards have just World Heritage Status and is a way of life been launched (deadline for entries 2 August) which must be protected. and winners will be announced in October.

Top 4 priorities identified from a short list: & Eden 2020  Reducing the impact of second homes in Then ACT will also be sponsoring a category rural communities. (81%) in the Cumberland News awards for North and  Improving transport links for people coming East Cumbria in 2020, due to be launched next to, and moving around, the Lake District. March. (80%) Please consider entering and look out for  Investing in rural skills. (79%) details in your local Cumbrian newspaper.  Protecting Lake District villages from over- Even if our category is not ideal for your development. (76%) project or people, maybe ‘Good Neighbour’, ‘Unsung Hero’ or ‘Volunteer of the Year ‘would (% shows the ‘high priority’ response) be right for you. There were additional comments about: traffic; transport infrastructure; local and affordable As Peter McCall, Cumbria’s Police and Crime housing need; diverse business opportunities; Commissioner has said: “Awards like these are biodiversity; and climate change. a simple way to say thank you to people who go out of their way to better the community by Read the full report at ACT’s website: looking out for each other.” ACT’s Lorrainne www.cumbriaaction.org.uk/Resources- Smyth added “This is a great opportunity to Publications/Research-Other-Publications celebrate some of the many Community Heroes across Cumbria and we’re looking forward to being involved.” ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue 12

Cumbria Youth

Alliance ‘Dreamscheme’ project funding

Cumbria Youth Alliance in conjunction with Full steam ahead for Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Community Dales Landscape Foundation and Penrith District Council will manage a series of schools, youth and OtherNews Partnership Scheme disability groups within and Carlisle district to carry out ‘Dreamscheme’ It’s great news for the Westmorland Dales type projects. Landscape Partnership Scheme. The Round 2 bid was submitted to the National Lottery This will give small grants of £250 to groups to Heritage Fund in September 2018 and in carry out volunteering activities that will benefit December we heard that the application was the community. The volunteers will earn points successful. for their social action volunteering.

We can now start to deliver this exciting Young people will learn how to do business scheme worth £3.45m, which includes cash planning and budgeting for their project. They match funding and volunteer time. The scheme will then be eligible for accredited awards for will be delivered over 4 years and will include Volunteering or Enterprize. 21 natural heritage, cultural heritage and connecting heritage projects. Groups wishing to take part should contact Juan Shimmin at CYA on Tel: 01900 603131 We are currently in the process of recruiting or Email: [email protected] new members to the team, setting up office and workshop space in Tebay within the So far 12 organisations have signed up; scheme area and getting projects underway highlights for Eden include: this summer.  Blue Jam young people have done a proper Keep up to date mural to overpaint graffiti on a community Find out more about the 21 projects and follow youth facility; the latest project news on our website  AAA (All About Autism) are doing film-making www.thewestmorlanddales.org.uk and, if you e.g. Penrith as an Autism friendly town with a haven’t done so already, sign up to our view to twinning with a town that has already newsletter. done this;

If you have any queries, please contact Nicola  At Eden Mencap (4 Eden), Dreamscheme Estill our community engagement officer at has paid for new overalls to assist the Friends of the Lake District on: community gardening programme and paint Tel: 01539 540046 to paint alleyways off Middlegate;

Email: [email protected]  Eden Police Cadets, Dreamscheme has put money towards funding of banners as part of The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership an anti-suicide campaign featuring helpline Scheme aims to unlock and reveal the hidden numbers to ring; heritage of the Westmorland Dales, enabling more people to connect with, enjoy and benefit from this  Newton Rigg young people have done four inspirational landscape. Thanks to National Lottery projects, the first of which is to go into elderly players it has been supported by a grant from the care homes offering free hair dos and other Heritage Fund. complimentary / health and beauty therapies;

other projects included helping ‘fix the fells’ in Eden with footpath and ditch clearing.

ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue

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The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day

2019 Religion, Belief and Culture Inspired by the achievements of Team GB in our Community: athletes and the amazing efforts of local Cumbrian Supplement 2019 community heroes, I Am Team GB have created the Nation’s Biggest Sports Day, taking South Lakeland Equality and Diversity place on Saturday 24 August 2019. Partnership (SLEDP) has been heavily

OtherNews involved in developing the Cumbrian How can you get involved? Supplement to this national guide. Join the team as a Games Maker - put on a great activity in your community and encourage The 's Fire & Rescue Services others to join you and get active. are dedicated to embedding fair treatment and dignity into our working environment and we How can your club or venue get involved? value the contribution diversity brings to both Sign up to become an I Am Team GB Games the Service and the community. This ‘Religion, Maker and put on an activity. This can be: Belief and Culture’ Guide, helps to illustrate  An existing session or activity; our commitment to eliminating discrimination,  Something aimed at a new audience (e.g. promoting equality and developing good young people or those returning to activity); relations between people of different ethnic groups.  A ‘come and try’ day;  An inclusive tournament for different age The aims of this collaborative guide are groups.  To provide an opportunity for a better

Open up the doors of your facility as a base for understanding of religion/belief within the an activity and spread the word to encourage diverse communities of the United Kingdom others to become I Am Team GB Games  To provide a general knowledge of their Makers. culture and historical background

Share news about The Nation’s Biggest Sports  To give general information on the customs Day on your network to encourage as many of dress, diet, visits, marriage, funerals, people as possible to get involved on the day. language, birth and medical matters

Why should you get involved?  To introduce some of the major festivals  Join Team GB and wear the crest with pride! celebrated by the various religions, faiths and cultures.  Inspire your community to get more active  It’s easy and fun – we’ll support you every The Community Fire Safety information is step of the way included not just to promote general fire safety,  You’ll get exclusive Games Maker kit and but to encourage the reader to link religious rewards festivals and customs to aspects of fire safety, particularly in the home of those celebrating We’ll support you along the way with guides on their own religions, and to make communities running your session and what to think about in the UK safer. on the day. There will be template social media posts, posters and press releases to help you We would like religious and non-religious promote your activities in the local community. groups to contact us in order to improve the Guide and build positive relationships with all I Am Team GB’s ambition is to get as many of the diverse religions and beliefs in the people as possible involved in getting active. United Kingdom. www.uhmb.nhs.uk/ files/4115/6101/7558/Faithguide_National- If this sounds like something you’d like to be min.pdf

ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue involved in, visit www.IAmTeamGB.com

to sign up now and for information. 14

Patients and Public Involvement

in Developing Research

What is Public and Patient Involvement? It is an active partnership between researchers Lake District Pound: and members of the public. Patients and Public Money that loves the Lake District get involved at an early stage to ensure health and social care research is carried out ‘with’ or What is the Lake District Pound? ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’, OtherNews The Lake District Pound (LD£) is our region’s ‘about’ or ‘for’ them. local currency. You can spend it interchangeably with Sterling, in businesses Why is PPI in health and social care where you see the LD£ sign. research important? PPI brings together the expertise of the health A new way to explore local culture and and social care professionals and the personal enjoy local communities knowledge and experience of the public. The LD£ will help you enjoy our unique local Bringing together these differing perspectives culture, and support the local businesses that ensures that research projects address make it so special. Only local businesses can questions of relevance to the health of the accept the LD£ so you know you’re supporting public. our communities when you visit them. We would like to start working with people in It’s easy and it’s fun! Cumbria to find out how we can start to get The Lake District Pound is an annual currency, people from across North Cumbria involved in with exciting new designs launching every developing research for health and social care. year. You can buy LD£ at Exchange Points Currently the public and patients we involve throughout the Lake District - including major talk with researchers at early stages of them Post Offices and visitor attractions. There are developing their research and discuss how no charges or commission to pay. Every year important it is, how practical it and if they think our LD£ design themes will celebrate the Lake it is worthwhile. We also get our public District’s ever-evolving story - it’s heritage, contributors to help researchers make their local culture, and the way we all enjoy the studies and the results accessible to the public

place today. What we would like to do: Love keeping the Lake District Special We would like to hold a meeting with a group of Love our LD£ design? Why not collect a few? residents from the local community to: inform Every LD£ you collect funds projects that look members of the public what we do; how they after our unique landscapes and local could be involved; and what the benefits would communities. When you collect LD£ as a be. The main focus of the meetings would be memento, all proceeds are divided between to work with members of the public to identify Cumbria Community Foundation and the Lake how such involvement could fit into their lives.

District Foundation - who work hard to support Who could attend? our local communities and preserve our beautiful landscapes. Anyone within the local community who has an interest in health and social care is invited. We Passport Trail are looking for between 10-15 people to attend. Explore the Lakes with the LD£ Passport trail. We can hold further meetings if there is an Collect sets of stamps to win brilliant Lakeland interest in doing so. For more information or to prizes when you spend LD£ in participating register an interest to attend a future meeting local independent businesses. There are 35 please email Jo Lally: [email protected].

different stamps to collect. For further information and contact details visit: rds-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement ACT Gazette Issue 33 Summer 2019 Gazette33 ACT Summer Issue Visit www.lakedistrictpound.com for details. #lakedistrictpound 15

Contact us:

Copeland Community Led Housing contact: Carlisle, Eden contact: Katie Milburn - Development Officer (Projects) Hellen Aitken - Development Officer Tel: 01228 817597 Tel: 01228 817592 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] To speak with Lorrainne Smyth, ACT Chief Barrow, South Lakeland contact: Executive, or contact ACT reception: Tel: 01228 817224 Fran Richardson - Development Officer Email: [email protected] Tel: 01228 817593

Email: [email protected] ACT would like to thank the following for supporting our Community Buildings Advice Allerdale, Copeland contact: Service for 2019-2020: Please contact the office on Tel: 01228 817224

01228 817224 01228 Previous editions of the ACT Gazette

online at: www.cumbriaaction.org.uk/

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©ACT 2019. This publication may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as ACTion with Communities in Cumbria copyright and the title of the publication specified.

[email protected] ACTion with Communities in Cumbria, Registered Office: Offices O-Q, Skirsgill Business Park, Penrith CA11 0FA T: 01228 817224 | www.cumbriaaction.org.uk | [email protected] | Follow us on Twitter @ACTCumbria Registered in England as Voluntary Action Cumbria | Charity Registration Number 1080875 | Company Number 3957858

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