COMMUNITIES responding to the threat of COVID-19 across the county have received a financial boost.

The first £82,000 in grants from the fund, established by Cumbria Community Foundation, focus on extending and expanding the capacity of charitable organisations that are providing support to those most vulnerable, specifically the elderly and those who have self-isolated.

Some of those included are: Furness Carers, Sight Advice South Lakes, and Walney Community Trust.

Age UK South Lakeland was granted £15,000. The cash will go towards maintaining their services covering towns including Ulverston, Grange and Windermere.

Hugh Tomlinson, CEO of Age UK South Lakeland, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to receive the grant.

“The lion's share of our funding comes from the retail section of our organisation, which has basically been turned off right now.

“We are providing safe shopping services, as well as booking deliveries, telephone befriending, and prescription pick up.

“A huge amount of credit should go to the Cumbria Community Foundation. They step up and provide the funds at a time like this and I can only stand back and applaud.

“I want to make sure that they are acknowledged for what they have done in such a short period of time, my goes off to them.”

Birchall Trust received £2,168 to put its staff and volunteers through an online training programme so they can continue to offer counselling and therapy to survivors of rape and sexual abuse in South Cumbria and North Lancashire.

Chief executive officer Karen Greenhow said: “The training will ensure that all our counsellors and support staff are operating safely.

"They will learn and consider new ways of providing counselling over the phone and online and how they need to adapt their practice accordingly.

"The training will enable our staff to continue to provide the best quality service that we can, providing a vital lifeline to our clients during these challenging times.”