A DIVERSE array of projects will benefit from £128,000 of support.

Copeland Community Fund has given five different organisations a summer boost, with its donations set to support homeless people, environmental projects, fitness initiatives and school pupils.

CCF chairman, David Moore, said: “The funding granted by CCF goes into supporting a diverse range of Copeland causes helping to improve the lives of local residents. These organisations make a real impact by making services accessible to many members of the community.”

The biggest of the donations was a £46,600 grant to West Cumbria Rivers Trust to help fund three years of environmental outreach work with primary school pupils, Girl Guides, Scouts and youth clubs across the area. Meanwhile Time to Change in West Cumbria, which aims to tackle homelessness, has secured £39,263.93 to safeguard eight jobs at the community interest company for 12 months whilst they improve their business development opportunities to remove the reliance on grants and housing benefit income.

An £8,000 grant will fund a new inclusive arts festival celebrating age and diversity, while another £6,000 a year will be used to help Copeland’s primary and secondary schools get involved in a national robot challenge. After running a successful FIRST LEGO league pilot scheme, STEM Cumbria Ltd has created a project to see five years of competition funded locally.

Tony Gill, of STEM, said: “This is an activity that will help pupils and teachers understand the importance and application of the development of computing and coding skills. It will also increase the understanding and importance of employability skills such as working in a team, solving problems and being able to communicate effectively. Above all, it will be a fun activity and a really motivating experience for the pupils and teachers and STEM Ambassadors.”

A fifth grant of £3,500 was given to Fit 4 Life to fund its move into new premises in Whitehaven.