Annual Report 2017/18 £19.6 million invested in Copeland from 2010 to 2018 2 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 monthly to receive applications and parts of the world. make decisions on grants under The overriding principle is that the £50,000. Fund is managed to provide a benefit to the residents of Copeland even after the Borough has ceased receiving waste. CHAIR David Moore The money received while the site is CBC COUNCILLOR operating is invested to provide long DEPUTY MAYOR 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 Keith Hitchen Brian Hough INDEPENDENT LLWR CCC COUNCILLOR NDA 3 Chair’s Report This year saw the seventh year of funding from Copeland Community Fund to groups and organisations in the Copeland area. Over this seven year period we have committed nearly £19.6 million in 259 grants, levering nearly £64.5 million match funding into Copeland. Some key information for this year: l £878,709.70 of grants approved in 2017/18 l £901,136.71 of match funding David Moore l Number of grants allocated: 24 – Chair CBC Deputy Mayor As I near the conclusion of my time as Chair of the Fund I look back over the year and admire some of the investment our Fund has The Exchange is another shining example put into Copeland. Thinking, for example, of of an innovative collaborative partnership the completion and grand openings of two initiative, promoting the connection of very different Investment projects, the upgrade business and community organisations of Rosehill Theatre and the redevelopment of for mutual benefit. I would encourage Whitehaven Foyer. Both of these projects were you to have a look at the website officially opened by HRH The Prince of Wales www.cumbriaexchange.co.uk on his visit to West Cumbria in April 2017. In this, my final year as Chair of the Fund I am also extremely proud that the Fund was I continue to be proud of what the Fund able to react so quickly in response to the helps community projects to achieve. September 2017 Millom & Haverigg Floods; This position has given me a greater insight of working collaboratively and in consultation the reach and appeal the Fund has, not only with the local community and other partners as an investor but through the hard work of to ensure that local residents’ needs were met an exceptional Fund Team. As you progress in the aftermath of this devastating localised through the report, you will see the event. outstanding results that have been The Fund made an immediate £25,000.00 achieved by this unique and inspiring Fund. donation to the Millom Disaster Fund, Our Fund Team are always interested in also supporting Millom Town Council with hearing about new projects and will continue the Fund team’s expertise in setting up to offer vital support and advice to community appropriate criteria and paperwork for the groups about planning and managing your Disaster Fund. Beyond this the Fund provided project as well as advice about funding, and of £15,000.00 to purchase giftcards which course we are always looking for new projects were distributed to individuals to enable to fund. So get in touch and tell us about your the purchase of household items and project. perishable goods destroyed in the flooding. I have also been delighted this year by the progress achieved in an exceptionally short David Moore – Chair time by the launch in February 2018 of the CBC Councillor Cumbria Exchange website. Deputy Mayor 4 Arts, Culture & Sports Project: Vulture Club Creative Writing Project Grant Approved: February 2018 Grant Award: £20,757.06 Total Project Cost: £27,677.06 This project will be delivered to individuals in recovery from addiction and those with a history of mental ill health/psychological/trauma based issues. The project enables Whitehaven based Vulture Club to broaden their range of therapeutic activities and open their doors for two additional days, allowing the club to offer much needed additional support to their membership from Monday through to Friday. The creation of two part-time Coordinator roles will support Vulture Club’s ongoing plans for future development. Vulture Club hope this project will enable them to welcome new people from the local community to join their confidential, safe and supportive club and benefit from taking part in opportunities for personal development and growth. Outputs The Creative Writing sessions will be l £6,920.00 of match funding led by a highly experienced tutor who will work with an individual or a group’s l 1.5 FTE Jobs Created needs using many methods, for example structured free writing, l 60 Local People Assisted in their Skills Development. communication and presentation skills and open reading, to improve self-esteem and confidence in participants. Outcomes David Rudd, Vulture Club Coordinator l Improving self esteem and confidence in said, “ We are thrilled to have received participants along with regular session the support of Copeland Community attendance to build trust within the group Fund and are confident the project will enhance our unique menu of services l To provide a safe and supportive environment by allowing us to open for our for participants to benefit from distracting members five days per week instead creative writing techniques of three.” Other funding was provided l Funding Strategy development and by Unity and Hadfield Trust. implementation. 5 Arts, Culture & Sports Project: Beckermet with Thornhill Parish Council Extension to Changing Rooms Grant Approved: February 2018 Grant Award: £15,840.00 Outputs Total Project Cost: £21,120.00 l £5,280.00 Match Funding l 1 Improved Facility Since 1986 the village of Thornhill has l 27 Square Metres maintained a football team, and since Improved Floor Space. 2015 has had two separate senior football teams. In 2007 after storm damage to the old changing rooms, Outcomes and a portacabin for storage which had been “added on”, the Parish Council, l To raise the aspirations of the community – in partnership with the football team, to provide a fit for purpose facility that the raised enough funding to build the community want to and can use effectively. new changing rooms building. l Improve health and wellbeing of the They realised that the current facility community members – to continue to no longer met the needs of the provide a facility for recreation and activities. participants and additional storage space for equipment is required. There is also the possibility that the Parish Council / Football Clubs would take on grass cutting of the playing field if there is adequate storage for grounds maintenance equipment. With efforts being made to try and establish some junior football teams within the village the storage space will be required even more. Thornhill FC and Thornhill Social FC will be working with Active Cumbria and Cumberland FA to move this initiative forward but much will be dependent on recruiting the necessary help in the form of volunteers / coaches and having support from parents. “We expect the works to be fully completed and available prior to the commencement of the start of the football season in August 2018. The extension will allow the changing rooms to be used for changing purposes and remove the need for coaches and volunteers to store equipment in their own homes,” advised project lead Sam Meteer from Beckermet with Thornhill Parish Council. 6 Arts, Culture & Sports Project: Millom Amateur Rugby League Club – Improve Entry and Egress to Millom RLFC Grant Approved: September 2017 Grant Award: £25,000.00 Total Project Cost: £55,450.00 Millom ARLC is the oldest amateur rugby league club in the world, founded in 1873. The club is steeped in this isolated community’s history. The whole facility hosts Millom Rugby, Millom Football Club, Millom Fight Outputs Club (the Flexible Ninja’s) and the l £41,540.00 match funding community gym, alongside many events held in the clubhouse – often l 1 hectare of open space improved over 1,000 people visiting during the playing seasons. l 1,000 local people with access to a community, sports facility Although the facilities were very well used and supported by a wide range l 1 improved sports facility. of people from the community on a weekly basis, the car park was in a very poor state and discouraged Outcomes attendance.