West Cumbria, UK – The Transforming West Cumbria (TWC) programme has outlined its projects for the next two years, aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families in the region.
TWC, funded through the Sellafield Ltd Social impact multiplied (SiX) programme and delivered by Cumbria Community Foundation, was created in response to a study commissioned by Sellafield Ltd in 2019. This study highlighted persistent social issues in West Cumbria, including high rates of child poverty, low household incomes, and a high number of children in care.
Since its launch three years ago, TWC has made a positive impact on thousands of people in the community. The programme’s Family Wellbeing strand, in particular, has received initial funding of £600,000 in September 2020 to address issues such as domestic and sexual abuse, addiction, emotional resilience, and speech and language development.
A report published in November 2020 highlighted the achievements of the first three years, with 1,456 families and 2,709 children benefiting from the projects. In line with its commitment to making a lasting impact, TWC recently announced an additional £200,000 in funding for five organizations to continue their work in the community.
CADAS (Cumbria Addictions: Advice and Solutions) will continue its family support service to reduce the number of children taken into care and improve their life chances. The project focuses on teaching emotional resilience techniques and providing therapy to families affected by parental substance abuse.
Howgill Family Centre will use the funding to continue its program to improve speech and language skills in children up to the age of four. The project works closely with parents through local nurseries and group sessions.
Safety Net, a charitable organization that supports victims of rape, exploitation, sexual and domestic abuse, will use the funding to provide advice, support, counseling, and therapy to adults, children, and young people affected by abuse and trauma.
Together We Talk, a program that delivers psychological interventions to parents and family units with children aged five to 17, has also received funding to continue and expand its work.
West Cumbria Domestic Violence Support, operating as The Freedom Project, has been awarded funding to provide legal support to victims of domestic violence through its McKenzie Friend project.
Commenting on the impact of TWC’s initiatives, Tracey West, Senior Social Impact Manager at Sellafield, said, “Working with the delivery organizations has been such an encouraging journey, when you hear the life experiences from those that our funding has impacted it drives us to develop more projects like Family Wellbeing.”
Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice & Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, added, “Transforming West Cumbria, through the Family Wellbeing programme, is making a significant difference in tackling some key challenges in our area. All of these projects have brought improvements to those with the greatest need. This additional funding from Sellafield Ltd will ensure more good work can be done to create thriving communities and a better future for families in West Cumbria.”
In addition to the Family Wellbeing programme, Sellafield Ltd also created a Family Support Fund as part of its Social impact multiplied (SiX) programme. The fund offers grants of up to £1,000 towards the cost of essentials for West Cumbrian families facing financial hardship. Administered by Cumbria Community Foundation and delivered by five local organizations, the fund has already supported over 380 families, including around 800 children.
For more information about Family Wellbeing and the wider Transforming West Cumbria programme, please visit https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/transforming-west-cumbria/.
Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of, on Monday 12 August, 2024. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/
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Transforming West Cumbria
TWC
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