Annual Report 2018 /19 Background Copeland Community Fund is an agreement negotiated with the Government to recognise the service Copeland provides to the nation by hosting the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) close to the village of Drigg. LLWR give the Fund £1.5 m a year for every year that the repository is operating; in addition to an initial endowment of £10m. Copeland Borough Council and Negotiations for the Fund were due Cumbria County Council adopted the to the work of Copeland Borough policy position that the community Council, Cumbria County Council package should be agreed before the and the Nuclear Decommissioning repository could continue to operate Authority. in the Borough. Since that time Partners of the Fund are the negotiation has taken place with the aforementioned in addition to LLWR. NDA on the need to establish a fund, The partners all have representatives how it would operate and what the of the Board alongside two level of contribution would be. independent members. This is the first arrangement of this A delegated panel comprising CCC, kind agreed in the UK although similar CBC and NDA representatives meet funds have been developed in other to receive applications and make parts of the world. decisions on grants under £25,000. The overriding principle is that the Fund is managed to provide a benefit to the residents of Copeland even after the Borough has ceased receiving waste. CHAIR Keith Hitchen The money received while the site is CCC COUNCILLOR operating is invested to provide long term future income. This income is then spent on an annual basis to offset negative impacts. In the first few years of operation the amounts available to spend were modest but they have grown gradually over time. Board Members Mike Starkie David Southward David Henderson CBC ELECTED MAYOR CCC COUNCILLOR INDEPENDENT Dianne Richardson Dr Richard Cummings David Moore Karen Dickinson INDEPENDENT LLWR CBC COUNCILLOR NDA DEPUTY MAYOR 1 Chair’s Report This year saw the eighth year of funding from Copeland Community Fund to groups and organisations in the Copeland area. In June 2018 I was elected Chair of the Fund; following on from the previous Chair, David Moore, representing Copeland Borough Council. Sincere thanks must go to David for his commitment and excellent leadership over the previous two years. Keith Hitchen – Chair CCF I would like to focus on two very diverse projects in this report; one a heritage restoration project and the other a multi-million pound new build facility. Eskdale Corn Mill is a Grade II* listed building and is the last operating water-powered mill in It has been extremely encouraging to see the the Lake District National Park. Along with other emerging interest from different community buildings, such as a stable and cottage, it sits organisations and also some evolving alongside a packhorse bridge in the picturesque partnership activity. For example with the village of Boot, in the beautiful Eskdale valley. Rugby Football League who have plans to It was noted as an important feature in the create a hub for Rugby League within Cumbria. Lake District’s successful bid to achieve Both Eskdale Mill and Whitehaven Campus World Heritage Site status. will be valued community assets for many The project was allocated £93,000 by the Fund years to come. to improve the mill and surroundings for visitors, It is important to recognise that this year the with better facilities and interpretation to provide CCF team underwent a number of changes information about the history of the mill and the in personnel whilst maintaining the quality people who worked there. of services we have come to expect. The project has experienced a number of It is extremely encouraging to hear continued challenges along the way and is a great example positive feedback from applicants and grant of how the CCF development team can holders about the value they place on the collaborate with an applicant in resolving approachability of CCF team members, localised these. The Fund’s grant was a key factor in knowledge and levels of support available. leveraging in over £842,000 of national Heritage Lottery Fund funding and the CCF team worked This commitment to add value through the CCF closely with the Mill’s trustees and project team has also continued with the recruitment of managers over a number of years to ensure the Fund’s first apprentice Grants Officer, Maya the final project funding package was achieved. McGrady, who started working with the Fund in September 2018 whilst studying for a Level 3 The project to restore the mill is nearing Business Administration NVQ with Lakes completion and I look forward to seeing the College West Cumbria. Maya has been an waterwheels turning again at Eskdale in due impressive and valued addition to the team course. and a fine example of the exceptional talent Another major milestone this year has been we have in Copeland’s young people. the realisation of the Fund’s most significant Our Fund Team are always interested in investment to date with the official handover hearing about new projects and will in January 2019 of Whitehaven Campus. continue to offer vital support and advice The unprecedented £33 million investment in the to community groups about planning and campus came from a range of partners including managing your project as well as advice The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, about funding, and of course we are always Sellafield Sites Ltd, Copeland Community Fund, looking for new projects to fund. So get in and Cumbria County Council. touch and tell us about your project. The Fund’s investment of £3m is specific to the new community sports and leisure facilities Keith Hitchen – Chair which include a state of the art 4G pitch, sports hall, main theatre with multi-media facilities, CCC Councillor and CCF Chair hydrotherapy pool etc. These bring an exciting range of health and wellbeing benefits to the Copeland community. 2 CopElANd WorK & SKIllS progrAMME 2016-2019 INTrodUCTIoN The Copeland Work & Skills Partnership has now completed a three-year programme of activities (2016-2019) supported Copeland by Copeland Community Fund (CCF) and Copeland Borough Council. The “core programme” of delivery constituted Work & Skills five workstreams supporting Copeland residents into jobs, training or other workplace activities. At least a third of these individuals are known to have been offered employment due Programme to their participation. The programme is thought to have been good value for money and complemented other Partnership 2016 - 2019 initiatives. 176 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS Q 176 individuals have engaged with a variety of workstreams . over the course of the Work & Skills programme . Q 14 individuals from Copeland have Nationally Recognised . Qualifications through completing a Level 2 Apprenticeship . Q 66 individuals from Copeland are more job ready through completing sector-based work academy programmes ...engaged in a variety Q 56 individuals from Copeland have been assisted into of workstreams employment or training courtesy of the programme’s Employability Fund Q 14 staff from partnership organisations have gained National Vocational Qualifications in Advice and Guidance Q 26 individuals from Copeland now have increased skills and knowledge through undertaking work experience 14 with local employers staff gained Q 63 individuals from Copeland were offered employment NVQ Advice and Guidance over the course of the Work & Skills programme Case Study Stephen was keen to return to security work following a period of ill health. He was familiar with this line of work as this is where he had previous work experience and relevant skills. To be able to secure a job he sourced some training through Inspira for a Security Industry Authority (SIA) qualification with Three Kings Security in Whitehaven. He passed this training but then struggled to find any funds to allow him to apply for his Badge. This was made possible through Stephen’s work coach as he met the criteria for funding support through the Flexible Support Fund. His advisor at Phoenix Enterprise Centre then made an application to the Copeland Work & Skills Programme Employability Fund to support Stephen with ‘back to work’ costs in order to make the transition into work as smooth as possible. This included help with transport, food and household bills before Stephen received his first pay cheque. Stephen has now gained employment with Securitas as a Security Guard. 3 ACTIVE CUMbrIA Whitehaven Parkrun TOTaL PROJECT COsTs £8,800 Case Study One runner in particular, between Parkrun is extremely popular 75 -79 years of age was inspired to throughout the UK and has been take up running when his son who TOTaL aMOunT awaRdEd the inspiration for getting many had never ran before, entered the people from inactive to active. London Marathon. He was impressed with this but Whitehaven Park Run launched could not find anything nearby for £3,150 on 30th June 2018, stretches 5 himself, to do, until he found out kilometres from Whitehaven about The Whitehaven Parkrun. Cycle Track to Moor Row, out, During the non - stop rain and PROJECT LIFETIME and back, using the C2C cycle path, wind of Storm Callum on 13/10/18 and takes place every Saturday. May 2018 – Nov 2018 he ran his first ever Parkrun taking So far, over the 41 weeks from him 50.56 minutes. Telling himself June 2018 - March 2019, 887 “if he can run in this weather today registered runners have taken part. he can run any day.” 461 registered as home runners and After just 6 weeks, a new Personal 426 as tourists – running on average Best was achieved 43.55 minutes 3.11 times, totalling 2766 runs. reducing his time by 7 minutes. The oldest Whitehaven Park runner is He continues to be a regular in the 80 – 84 age category and has a runner since that, first day - Personal Best of 41.14 minutes.