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Transforming West Cumbria – Bedrock

Bedrock – building the resilience, capabilities, and financial sustainability of Third Sector organisations in West Cumbria.

Community Resilience

Transforming West Cumbria (TWC) is This a social investment programme that has been developed in partnership with Cumbria Community Foundation, focusing on promoting thriving communities by supporting sustainable activities that create self-reliance and independence.

Bedrock is a key strand of the Transforming West Cumbria programme and focuses on building the resilience, capabilities and financial sustainability of Third Sector organisations in West Cumbria by:

  • Empowering community leaders, both voluntary and paid, with the skills, resources, and time to invest in organisational strategy and business development.
  • Enabling organisations to explore new ways of working, including income generation, use of digital, collaboration, sharing resources and better management of community assets/premises.
  • Improving governance.
  • Building capacity and future proofing the organisation, through staff development, expert volunteer recruitment and clear succession planning.

The Bedrock programme consists of two elements:

  1. Bedrock Award – tailored support focussed on building the resilience and financial sustainability of a small number of Third Sector organisations delivering vital services in West Cumbria;
  2. Bedrock Basics – advice and support aimed at strengthening and building capacity of the community sector in West Cumbria, delivered by Cumbria CVS.

Sellafield Investment

£1,907,400

Timeline

  • Programme started

  • Predicted programme end

Outcome

To date the following sixteen organisations have been supported through the Bedrock Awards.

Bedrock Award Stage 1 Awardees:
• Allerdale Citizens Advice
• Citizens Advice Copeland
• Copeland Age & Advice Service
• Fit 4 Life
• Home to Work
• Time to Change
• West Cumbria Carers
• West Cumbria Domestic Violence Support
• Whitehaven Youth Project

Bedrock Award Stage 2 awardees:
• Age UK West Cumbria
• Cumbria Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service (CADAS)
• Cumbria Youth Alliance
• Hospice at Home West Cumbria
• Howgill Family Centre
• Phoenix Enterprise Centre
• Together We CIC

Bedrock basics has worked with over 170 separate groups to help secure a total funding of £58,576, with 12 groups assisted to recruit governance volunteers and 64 groups recruiting service delivery volunteers.