FOLD Giving close to home And you don’t have to live in Cumbria to support our work. Mike Wombwell lives in Cornwall but was born in West Cumbria. Concerned by the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on young people, Mike funded the setting up of our Allerdale Holiday, Activities and Food Fund. Never forget your roots Be like our Dave One of our supporters Dave Khan, is based near Grange over Sands. Dave is a Director of Rural Getaways Ltd which owns and manages a number of holiday parks in the south of the county. Every month, Dave makes a generous regular donation to the Cumbria Fund which makes grants to projects across the county. When asked why he does it, Dave said: "I have been very privileged to have been helped on my business journey and throughout my life by individuals who do not necessarily know me but have helped me. Growing up in a fairly poor and deprived area I think it is important to always remember to put back into society whatever you can. I get more pleasure giving my money away than making it!" I am always inspired by the commitment of local volunteers who are active in the local community, and I am happy to make a contribution to support their efforts especially in these challenging times. As well as funding projects which address issues such as holiday hunger during school holidays, the fund that Mike set up has allowed the breakfast club at Netherhall School to continue for a further year. Free to all students the breakfast club offers food and hot drinks before school starts for the day. It sets them up for a day of learning, while also providing the opportunity for students to socialise with each other and to chat informally to teachers, fostering a real sense of community in the school. Individuals inside and outside the county are supporting our communities. David said: “We came across compelling evidence that quality youth work makes a real difference to outcomes for young people, yet funding for youth workers has been cut dramatically.” Better Tomorrows is investing more than £1 million over three years to pay for accredited youth work training. Alongside the training, which is delivered in person by Cumbria Youth Alliance, grants of up to £75,000 are available for community organisations to set up or provide new youth work opportunities for local people. CEO of Cumbria Youth Alliance, Becky Wolstenholme, said: We are absolutely delighted to be a partner organisation with the Better Tomorrows programme, building solid platforms by supporting and offering training to vital youth organisations. In the first year of the programme, 19 organisations have been funded, over 30 people have participated in the accredited training, 26 new youth worker roles have been created and nearly 4,000 hours of new youth work has been delivered. Over 40 funders have contributed to the programme, including the Community Foundation, Francis Scott Trust, Four Acre Trust, Nuclear Waste Services, the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, and many local businesses and individuals. David continued: The Better Tomorrows Programme has demonstrated the power of over 40 funders working together for the benefit of the young people of Cumbria, achieving a level of positive change that none of us could have imagined on our own. Almost 70% of participants have reported increased confidence and well over a half felt an increased sense of belonging in their community. Parents noticed positive changes in their children, with fewer reports of antisocial behaviour. Donations to the Better Tomorrows programme are still welcome. Contact annalee@cumbriafoundation.org for more information. As David says: “The more donations we receive, the more people we’ll be able to support. I hope now that youth work will be recognised as a career and as an opportunity.” A programme for the next generation The Better Tomorrows programme was developed by our chair David Beeby during his year as High Sheriff of Cumbria to address the gap in youth work provision in the county. Mike Wombwell and son Growing Local Philanthropy 16 17
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