Annual Review 2017
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ANNUAL REVIEW 2017 A COUNTY OF CONTRASTS Introduction Cumbria Community Foundation We provide philanthropic services to We provide a simplified approach to exists to address disadvantage by individuals, families and organisations and effective charitable giving. As one of manage 60 grantmaking funds, supporting the UK’s leading, accredited community making life-changing grants and more than 500 community projects per foundations, we have the expertise and promoting philanthropy. We are year on behalf of our fundholders. Since local knowledge to help individuals, also here to respond to emerging 1999, we have invested more than £37m families, companies, charitable trusts need, having managed four disaster into almost 4,000 groups and 8,000 and public-sector bodies invest in their appeals, most recently raising £10.3m individuals. communities. in response to the floods in 2015. Connecting people who care with causes that matter 2 A COUNTY OF CONTRASTS Chairman’s Statement Although this year has seen the flooding. The work of our Flood Grants greatest value of grants awarded in the team was highly commended in the Foundation’s history, our review and Grantmaking category of the 2017 Charity compilation of statistics on need in the Awards. county, published in a new report ‘Cumbria We welcomed several significant new Revealed’, has highlighted wide-ranging funds in the year and were delighted that community needs. We have therefore set Sellafield Ltd chose to use our knowledge targets to double both our endowment and and expertise for their Community Choices our annual grantmaking by 2022 and have programme which invested over £500,000 set new grantmaking priorities: in charities and community groups. • Improving the lives of disadvantaged On a sad note, 2017 saw Cumbria and children and families the Foundation lose an inspirational • Improving the life skills, education, and dedicated leader with the death employability and enterprise of of our former chairman, James Carr, disadvantaged people philanthropist, businessman, farmer, • Supporting vulnerable older people conservationist and fisherman, who will be sadly missed. • Improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Cumbria We have set ambitious targets to grow philanthropic giving in the county. I • Strengthening and supporting fragile am confident that people will respond communities positively to enable us to continue high • Enabling people to access arts, sports, quality grantmaking to support many more I became Chair of the Foundation in culture, heritage and the environment life-changing projects. December 2016 and I would like to We continue to help the flood-affected thank my predecessor, Ian Brown, people of Cumbria. The Flood Fund has helped over 3,000 households recover, who has been a great support. supported flood-affected community groups and invested in household and community preparedness for future David Beeby – Chairman A COUNTY OF CONTRASTS 3 Cumbria Revealed The report’s findings are intended to raise awareness of these problems, and to tackle them by matching people with causes that matter to them. Understanding the needs of a community and the issues it faces are the first steps to being able to solve them and has led us to identify our grantmaking priorities for the next five years: • Improving the lives of disadvantaged children and families • Improving the life skills, education, employability and enterprise of disadvantaged people • Supporting vulnerable older people The scenery that draws people to Cumbria from around • Improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Cumbria the world is also home to people who are isolated and experience real hardship. The picture-postcard image • Strengthening and supporting fragile communities of Cumbria masks poverty in many areas. For every • Enabling people to access arts, sports, culture, heritage and outwardly comfortable community there are clusters of the environment individuals and families living in poverty. Chief Executive of the Foundation, Andy Beeforth, said: “We We recently published Cumbria Revealed, which collected data hope Cumbria Revealed will encourage more philanthropy, more from various sources and paints a picture of the county, focusing giving, and match directly the help with the need. If we can bring on what life is really like for many people. One in five Cumbrians attention to the problems we have in the county and innovative has a long-term health problem or disability. 32,000 pensioners in ways in which they can be addressed, then the report will change the county live alone. Almost 12,000 children live in poverty. lives and create a better future for Cumbria.” The report explores the underlying and poorly known social problems in the county and highlights inspirational community To read the report, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org projects which are helping to tackle these problems with the or call the office for a copy funding they receive from the Foundation. 4 A COUNTY OF CONTRASTS Susan’s Farm Children from the most disadvantaged students attend one day a week to gain at school has since increased by more backgrounds finish secondary practical experience for their qualifications; than 50% and his teachers are delighted people living in residential care homes with his commitment. school effectively more than two visit to feed the hens and make jam; and Carlisle-based agriculture, food and years behind their wealthier peers, vulnerable adults volunteer at the farm to engineering business, Carr’s Group, set according to a recent report by build their skills, confidence and health, up their fund, which has supported the while undertaking qualifications in land- the Education Policy Institute, and farm, in 2015. Neil Austin, Group Finance based studies, working in conjunction with becomes more prominent in rural Director said: “Our passion for the county Newton Rigg College. areas across Cumbria. and local people has meant we have Susan Aglionby, Director, said: “We are supported many local causes over a delighted with the progress Nathan has number of years. We have been corporate made on the farm. He has grown in members of the Foundation for a while, confidence and self-esteem as well as and creating our own fund, managed by gaining skills in working with the cattle the Foundation, was the natural extension and sheep. He stayed late one evening to this. By doing this we can benefit from to help with hay making. He worked really the Foundation’s knowledge in assessing hard stacking bales and was delighted to worthy projects so we can be sure that the receive some ‘pocket money’, which was money is being channelled to the places richly deserved.” where it can be most effective and to causes we care about.” 15 year old Nathan had a difficult Susan’s Farm in Houghton, Carlisle is a upbringing and his engagement at school social enterprise, offering placements and was poor. His teacher approached GCSE skills training in land-based qualifications Susan as it was felt that he would enjoy to address this issue. the environment of the farm, and in turn attainment is his approach to learning would change. worse than The working farm has received almost Funding enabled Nathan to attend an £15,000 in grant funding from the extra day a week, undertaking a BTEC the national Foundation, and provides opportunities Level 1 in Animal Care, where he is taught average for and support for people at different stages practical skills, as well as record keeping, of their lives. A number of school age reading and writing. Nathan’s attendance England A COUNTY OF CONTRASTS 5 With Singing in Mind With Singing in Mind was set up to continue an initiative previously run by the Alzheimer’s Society, which owing to a lack of funding was set to stop. A group of dedicated volunteers and trained professionals joined together to form a new singing group, with support from the Johnson Fund. Based in Kendal’s Hallgarth Community One gentleman, who is recovering from faculties to remain active when other Centre, the group works with people a stroke, has since seen improvements elements fail”. who live with a neurodegenerative with his speech. His wife said: “The “Having also been involved since condition such as motor neurone disease, atmosphere is so heart-warming and retirement as finance director of national dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s disease. friendly and it’s wonderful to have the charities which support the development opportunity to meet with both carers and Supported by volunteers, the weekly and leadership of, particularly choral, those with similar needs to my husband.” sessions help to stimulate long-term amateur music-making in the UK, I can memory. Participants sing familiar songs The Johnson Fund was set up by Jim appreciate the practical implications of and learn new ones while strengthening and Eve Johnson in 2015. Its focus is to anything which can minimise the effects of co-ordination and brain and body develop the self-esteem and confidence dementia, and improve the quality of life of connection using equipment such as a of young people, and to provide support to our increasingly ageing population.” parachute, beanbags, hand bells. carers of sufferers from dementia as well as those whose lives have taken a major Eddie Harrison, Secretary, said: “The unforeseen turn for the worse. 1,800 people grant helped to maintain the weekly are diagnosed sessions, which enabled the majority Jim said: “Eve and I are both keen of people attending to show some singers, and we know from personal with dementia improvement in their communication skills family experience that knowledge of each year and to mix with others as a group.” music and song is one of the last retentive 6 A COUNTY OF CONTRASTS Barrow Domestic Appliances In Barrow-in-Furness, over half the population is categorised as financially stretched, meaning that people are on incomes well below average, with many experiencing some degree of financial pressure.