PETTERIL Community Panel has invested almost £93,000 into exciting local projects.
The panel, which invests money locally on behalf of Cumberland Council, met this week to support ten projects. They range from outdoor play events and sound meditation sessions to CCTV, a family hub and access to healthy food.
The Parish of St Elisabeth was awarded £1,692 towards installing CCTV at St Elisabeth Church in Carlisle. It’s hoped the external cameras will deter crime and help keep the area safe and clean. The award covers around half the cost, the rest being covered by the church.
The iCan Wellbeing Group Community Interest Organisation received a £3,840 investment towards extending meditation and sound healing sessions.
The WeCan project runs activities to increase wellbeing and tackle social isolation. This funding will help run two additional monthly meditation sessions, free and open to all, at Petteril Community Centre.
Stomping Ground received £10,000 towards free weekly play sessions at Hammonds Pond.
Though aimed at eight to 15-year-olds, the sessions are open to all. The aim is to create opportunities for people who might not, or cannot, attend community events. Stomping Ground’s work can support neuro-divergent people and those with complex behaviours.
The project will also include outreach sessions at St John Henry Newman Catholic School, Upperby Primary School, St Margaret Mary's RC School and Bishop Harvey Goodwin School.
Creighton Rugby Club was awarded £1,500 towards upgrading its pitch, making it suitable for increased use from newly-formed under-13 and under-14 teams.
The club has an adult team, plus around 125 players aged from six to 14.
Borderline Counselling Services received £2,500 towards the staffing costs involved in delivering their services. The charity, based in Carlisle, offers a range of counselling to its clients.
The Together We Can Community Interest Company was given a £1,899 investment towards staffing costs for the Together We Carry project. This supports new mothers and families experiencing mental health difficulties. The funding will help the service continue while longer-term funding is sought. Together We Carry covers several Community Panel areas, and is applying for funding from four in total.
Carlisle Community Help was awarded £15,643 towards workshops, classes, printed materials, staffing costs and volunteer expenses. The project aims to empower Carlisle through nutritional education and affordable food. This includes emergency food supplies or families in crisis, nutritional workshops, cooking demonstrations, collaborations with food shops, and digital resources to support the work.
The project will be delivered in Carlisle and Brampton, targeting rural areas with high rates of food poverty. Workshops and activities will be held at Brampton Methodist Church, Morton Manor, Carlisle Enterprise Centre, Upperby CDC, and Petteril Bank Community Centre. Other Community Panels covered by the project have also been approached for funding.
Petteril Bank Community Centre received £21,860 towards upgrading the centre, creating a café and employing a member of staff.
The work aims to provide an accessible community hub following the closure of other local amenities. This will increase the financial sustainability of the centre, and provide somewhere for the community to interact together.
Botcherby Community Centre received £13,000 towards a new weekly, all-day ‘drop-in.’ The large hall will become a day-long hive of community activity and engagement.
Activities will be coordinated by a project worker, and will include creative activities and tabletop games. It is also hoped to provide lunches and a pop-up pantry, and opportunities for physical activities will be explored.
Currock Community Centre was awarded £20,900 to help transform a room into a family hub.
The hub will provide access to educational activities and support services across health and social care, as well as improved opportunities for volunteers, and employment. It could also provide room hire for organisations offering support to children with special needs.
The hub will include sensory elements which children, alongside a resident artist, will help to create.
All the projects funded support one or more of Petteril Community Panel’s core priorities: children and young people; emotional wellbeing and mental health; the environment.
Cllr Lisa Brown, Chair of Petteril Community Panel and Deputy Leader of Cumberland Council, said: “It is truly inspiring to be presented with such high quality opportunities for investment. These projects are transformational in so many different ways. Petteril Community Panel - and all our panels – continue to fund extraordinary grass roots projects, keeping communities alive and addressing real need very directly. We are lucky to have such a vibrant third sector who will make the most of these investments for their communities.”
Find out more about Petteril Community Panel, and how to apply for investment, here: Petteril | Cumberland Council.
The deadline for the next round of investments is October 23. Contact the panel’s Community Development Officer for pre application guidance here: petterilcommunitypanel@cumberland.gov.uk
Petteril Community Panel is hosting an event on Wednesday, 6 November, at Harraby Catholic Club from 6pm. More details will be available nearer the time.
The panel is also asking what sort of events people would prefer to attend. How can we best interact with you and get your views? We want to hear what type of event would be attractive to you - a drop-in, or some presentations? Do you prefer food to be provided? Do you like to book a place, or just turn up? Browse information stalls or chat to councillors? Do you think certain days of the week or venues would attract different people? Perhaps you'd prefer to attend a focus group, or interact digitally? We want to hear from everyone - particularly people who do not usually attend our events. What would help you interact with the panel? Give us your ideas at petterilcommunitypanel@cumberland.gov.uk.