A FURNESS business has donated its time, materials and workforce to improve a charity’s facilities.

Harry Barker Properties, a construction firm based in Askam, has undertaken work for the Brathay Trust.

The firm has redeveloped a previously unusable section of the front lawn at Brathay Hall in Ambleside.

The area had to be cleared, drained and levelled to create more space for fundraising events and team challenges hosted at the venue.

Brathay Trust works with 7,000 young people a year in the north of England and many come to the hall on programmes that involve activities on the front lawn.

The charity’s fundraising challenge events tend to start and finish on the lawn, which has views down the length of Windermere.

Finance director for the Brathay Trust, Heather Dixon, said: “We are extremely grateful for the swift response from Harry Barker Properties to our call for help.

“They’ve done a top quality job in a short space of time.

“They have cleared, levelled and established drainage in a 20m (65.6ft) by 30m (98.4) space.

She added: “We now have a much larger lawn at our disposal so we can do more skill-building activities and use the space less intensively.

“As anyone with a lawn knows they need looking after.”

Harry Barker Properties is now operated by the second generation of the Barker family with Harry and his brother John at the helm.

The two are firmly committed to helping the community and Harry Barker is the chairman of Askam and Ireleth Parish Council.

Mr Barker said: “The project is in line with our commitment to helping Furness people.

“We believe you should help if you can and over the years that’s included work at Dunnerholme Golf Club, when their course was flooded, creating access to the estuary for Duddon Inshore Rescue and supporting local sports teams including football, rugby and motor-cross.

“We’ve helped other local charities and the schools too, as far as we’re concerned, it makes good business sense and we have a happy workforce who know they can respond to local needs.”

The Brathay Trust’s events encompass cycling, running and rowing, organising the Windermere Marathon which takes place on May 21 and the 10 in 10, which is 10 marathons in as many days.

The charity also runs two cycling events, a sportive which will take place on June 25, and the Brathay 262 which is 10 laps of the marathon route, 262 miles, in 24 hours.