17 Carlianne, now 21, was in the care system for eight years. Working with Claire and the CYA team has given her the confidence to move into her own flat and undertake work experience placements. “I didn’t want to really speak to Claire at first,” Carlianne said. “But now she has brought the confidence out in me. “They’ve also helped me with my ups and downs. I was going through a hard time through loss – I lost someone really close to me. Not just meeting me once a week but messaging me every day, when I’ve not wanted to get out of bed. “It’s given me the confidence to go out there, to go to events, to speak to people. I’ve had the opportunity to go to Leeds and speak in front of 100 people. Without this help and support, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do that.” WEST CUMBRIA MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP MATCH FUNDING CHALLENGE The vital services provided by the WCMHP are non-statutory and rely on local fundraising and donations to be delivered. People across West Cumbria now have the chance to show they are taking the mental health crisis seriously and really make a difference to those who need support. Cumbria Community Foundation and Sellafield Ltd are running a match funding challenge, giving businesses, community groups and individuals the opportunity to help fund this vital, communitybased mental health support for local people. Sellafield Ltd has generously pledged a match funding pot of £200,000 to support future mental health service delivery. For every pound donated to the appeal, Sellafield Ltd will match it £1 for £1, offering businesses, groups and individuals the opportunity to make double the difference. To find out how you can take part, visit our website. Tracey West, Head of Social Impact for Sellafield Ltd, said: “Sellafield has been proud to fund the West Cumbria Mental Health Partnership since its launch in 2021, demonstrating our commitment to fostering resilience and wellbeing in our communities. “Now we are calling on businesses across West Cumbria to demonstrate their commitment to addressing one of our region’s highest priority needs – mental health and wellbeing support. By backing the match funding challenge, organisations can make a real and lasting difference to local people in need of support. This is more than a one-off initiative; we’re working to build a sustainable partnership that delivers long-term impact, and we need others to join us in securing the future of this vital project.” Awards success The positive impact of the Transforming West Cumbria programme was recognised at several prestigious award ceremonies in 2025. The Foundation’s collaborative working with Sellafield Ltd was shortlisted for the following: • Charity Awards - Grantmaking & Funding category (Highly Commended) • Charity Times Awards – Corporate Community Local Involvement and Corporate Social Responsibility Project of the Year • Institute of Economic Development Awards – Social Value category (Winner) • Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster Awards – Partnership (Winner) and Social Value categories • Institute for Collaborative Working Awards – Social Impact category (Winner) The Foundation was also honoured this year for two other pieces of partnership working. Age Friendly South Lakeland, which we helped to set up, was highly commended in the Organisation Champion category at the Diverse Cumbria Awards. And the Kirkby Lonsdale Fire Disaster Recovery Appeal Partnership was named Fundraising Feat of the Year at the Cumbria Life Awards. Fundraising Feat of the Year for the Kirkby Lonsdale Fire Disaster Recovery Appeal Partnership
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