Making a Real Difference – PCC Awards £227, 478 to Community Projects Since the Start of the Pandemic

The Community Covid19 Recovery Fund and Property Fund re-invests money seized from criminal behaviour and over the last year, Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall has awarded £227, 478 helping to make a real difference in our local communities in our fight against crime.

ll comments: “Re-distributing money that has come from the ill-gotten gains of criminals can only be a good thing and since the start of the pandemic, the Community Covid19 Recovery Fund and Property Fund grants have provided excellent opportunities for community activities and local charities to put the money where it is needed most and have the biggest impact.

“This year has been tough on so many people, for so many different reasons and I am delighted that we awarded £227, 478 of funding back into community projects and activities.

“Early on in the year, we adapted the fund into the Community Covid19 Recovery Fund to help local charities and voluntary community groups to financially manage the new issues which were arising in light of the Covid19 pandemic.

“Such activities are often led by an enthusiastic army of volunteers and their resilience and ability to carry on and help others, regardless of restrictions or  lockdowns, has been truly heartwarming to witness in the last 12 months, and another reason why Cumbria communities are some of the safest and most kind spirited places to live in the country.

“The latest round of the Property fund concentrated on supporting projects that engage in community initiatives and interventions for people with mental health problems that may have arisen since the start of the pandemic. We received numerous and innovative applications, which indicates the local need for such projects at this time.

“Some examples of awards in the South of the county include Well Minds in Kendal; a 12 week wellbeing programme for young people (16 to 18yrs) with the skills and experience they need to improve their own wellbeing, supporting Manna House to deliver staff and volunteers mental health training and the Drop Zone’s project providing mental health support to young people aged under 18 in the Furness area.

“Other projects awarded in the South during 2020 include Impact Housing Young People’s Association Service have been putting together ‘Hug in a Bag’ packs of essential items for homeless people aged 16-24, in Kendal the Gateway Church have led an outreach programme with neighbourhood volunteer chaplains and the Bay Trust Radio purchased software to allow presenters to broadcast from home.

“Some examples of awards in the North of the county include the Farming Community Network supporting outreach and mental health training workshops to Young Farmers Clubs and Samaritans Carlisle, to support additional recruitment and training of listening service volunteers due to an increase in calls to the service.

“Other projects awarded in the North during 2020 include People First who received funding that enabled them to create a socially distanced Covid19 compliant counselling space and Carlsile Key who adapted their premises so that young homeless people could access support and advice. Age UK Carlisle and Eden recruited additional help to support vulnerable older people and Penrith Pumas WRC purchased 2 bespoke wheelchairs for wheelchair rugby.

“In the West of the county for example, Around the Combe HWB Alliance volunteers have been helping vulnerable local people with meals, shopping and prescription collection and Bookwell Primary School in Egremont purchased road safety banners, pavement signs, traffic lights and safety tabards. Allerdale Girls FC purchased additional non-contact thermometers and first aid and Brampton and Solway Network Youth Churches received funding to assist with youth outreach work over the summer.”

T/Chief Superintendent Rob O’Connor, Cumbria Constabulary, said: “It is pleasing to see that money generated and seized from those who commit crime is redistributed into very worthwhile initiatives within our communities.

“The efforts by community groups not only assist the Constabulary’s efforts to keep people safe, they also make a significant contribution to improving the quality of life for people across the county.”

The public are invited to apply for up to £2,500 from the Property Fund to help support projects that engage in community initiatives and interventions to reduce crime. Application details and deadline are outlined on PCC website www.cumbria-pcc.gov.uk

South

Community Covid19 Recovery Fund

Growing Well, Kendal                                            activities/support to vulnerable people

Barrow Raiders                                                        Deliver Raiders on the Road – Advantage! to groups of young people after school

Gateway Church                                                      Advertising, project lead and volunteer expenses for neighbourhood chaplains in Kendal

CANDOFM                                                                 Media campaign (video/audio interviews) opportunities for young people to get involved in broadcasting.

Resource Creatives                                                 Young people and knife crime

Bay Trust Radio                                                        Radio software to allow presenters to broadcast from home

Signal Film and Media                                           Support activity packages for young people

Around the Combe HWB Alliance                     Volunteers helping the vulnerable with meals, shopping, prescription collection, welfare checks.

Cowran Training                                                      Support worker

SAFA                                                                            Self harm support group, develop online toolbox of resources

Right2Work CIC                                                        Skills based training for young people who are beginning to disengage with school/college

Milnthorpe Family Centre                                    Holiday club

Drop Zone Youth Projects                                     Supporting young people

Property Fund

Hindpool Tigers                                                        First aid kit and rugby training equipment

Drop Zone Furness                                                  Mental health support for under 18s

Jigsaw, Kendal                                                          Community garden project

Well Minds, Kendal                                                12-week wellbeing programme for 16-18 yrs.

Community Solutions, Ullverston                      face to face/online support group equipment

Autus Cumbria, Kendal                                         social group support 17-25yr old with Autism

Manna House, Kendal                                           mental health training for staff and volunteers

CADAS                                                                         dangers of drink/drug driving for young drivers

Anti-racist Cumbria                                                support young people from protected groups and encourage them to become peer mentors

Walney Churches Scout Group                           digital zoom membership, sanitising equipment, clipboards.

Impact Housing Young People’s Service          Hug in a bag.  Essential items for homeless people 16-24

West

Community Covid19 Recovery Fund

Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project                  Laptops, screens and gaming consoles to allow the virtual youth club to continue

South Workington Youth Partnership              Community support for families

Cumbria Youth Alliance                                        Better outcomes for young people in the care system

Samaritans of West Cumbria                               Recruitment of volunteers

Brampton/Solway Network Youth Churches Youth outreach work

St John’s Methodist Church                                 Holiday club

Time to Share Bereavement Services               8-week course to support bereaved children and families in Copeland

Beginning Again                                                       Supervised opportunities for offenders, ex-offenders and those at risk of offending to gain outdoors work experience.

Cockermouth Junior Football                              folding goals, footballs, bibs and training equipment to enable to minimize sharing

Calvert Trust                                                              Funding will be used to support core staffing and operating costs for charity working with 3,584 people with disabilities

1st Hensingham Scout Group.                            outdoor equipment such as lighting that will allow for sessions to continue under current restrictions and social distancing rules.

Autism support Allerdale + Copeland              Workshops around challenging behaviour, sleep patterns and self-harming.  Offer workshops out to schools

Millom Junior Football                                          the renewal of equipment for football club

Wath Brow Hornets                                                Contribution towards mower for rugby club

Egremont Youth Partnership                               Detached youth work

 Property Fund

Millom Recreation Centre                                    Splat mat, beginner’s soft springboard, foam springboard

Jericho Primary School                                          Road Safety: banners and standalone signs, Road Safety Play

St James C of E infant and Nursery School      Traffic cones and ‘No Parking’ banners

Bookwell Primary School                                      Banner, Pavement signs, Flying Flag, Traffic Lights, Safety Tabards

St Gregory + St Patrick’s Infant School             ‘Think’ Banner, Activity Set, Traffic Lights

Moresby Primary School                                       No waiting cones, Safety Banner, Safety Set

St Mary’s School Kells                                            Safety Activity Set, Traffic lights, Traffic Sign

Bransty School                                                                        No Waiting Traffic Cones, No Parking Banner

Hensingham School                                                Signs for gates, Crossing in car park, Hi-Vis equipment for children, Road Safety Training

Montreal School                                                      Road Safety, cycling helmets, reflective lights, no parking cones, banner

Allerdale Girls FC                                                     Additional footballs, non-contact thermometers, first aid, new match kits, pair of aluminum weighted goals.

Thornhill Primary                                                     focuses on bullying, inappropriate online gaming/social media.

North

Community Covid19 Recovery Fund

Appleby Deanery Synod                                        Provision for rural youth club to purchase projector screen, PS 4 games, crafts and activity items

CHOFHS Youth Group                                            Equipment for youth group, crafts, sports equipment and camping

Carlisle MENCAP                                                      mate and hate crime, exploitation, online sexual abuse, theft and fraud support

Dalston Bowling Club                                             air conditioning units in response to Covid-19

Penrith Pumas WRC                                               2 bespoke wheelchairs for wheelchair rugby

Carlisle Key                                                                Counselling space for young homeless people (16-25yr old)

Happy Hooves RDA                                                 Equine Facilitated Coaching and Wellbeing sessions for referred people.

Carlisle Refugee Action Group                            Assisting refugees to pass their UK driving test

People First                                                                Adapting counselling services due to Covid

CADAS                                                                         Staff to deliver drug/alcohol recovery support

Triple A Project (All About Autism)                    Adaptation of project delivery for autistic

Carlisle Youth Zone                                                 Community based youth work support for 10-15-year old

Spiral                                                                           Support victims of bullying

Penrith Cricket Club                                               Contribution towards Fairway mower

Age UK Carlisle and Eden                                      To help and support vulnerable older people throughout Covid and into the recovery period

 Property Fund

Samaritans Carlisle                                                 recruitment/training for listening volunteers

Farming Community Network                             Outreach mental health training for Young Farmers Clubs

Pride in North Cumbria                                         pantomime – equipment hire, promotion volunteer expenses

The Cumberland Ability Counts League           Subsidising coaching and refereeing courses, values shield and rewards

Arden Explorer Scouts                                           Uniform, badges, tents, rucksacks, expedition equipment, maps, stoves