A LOCAL mental health charity has benefited from a major funding initiative.

Mind in Furness was one of many organisations and community groups to get a share of £2million from Cumbria Community Foundation's Covid-19 Response Fund.

Thanks to receiving £9,694 to upgrade IT equipment staff and volunteers at the charity have been able to work remotely, offering a better service to people suffering with their mental healt.

Karen Dobson, chief officer, said: “The grant from the COVID-19 Response Fund will help us meet our changing IT needs. Our server was dying of old age and impacting on staff working from home. A new server will increase our capacity to support those with mental health issues.”

The fund was created in March to help people in need during the pandemic.

Since then, more than 330 applications have been received with 185 organisations and community groups sharing £2,129,583.

Also to benefit was Carers Support Cumbria, a consortium that brings together the four carers organisations across the county, who received £34,184 to roll out a Carer-Connect, a digital platform allowing carers to interact and access support, advice, and information online.

Chief Operating Officer of Carer-Connect, Debi Marsden, said: “COVID-19 has really highlighted the issue of acute social isolation and the importance of support and conversations for all unpaid Carers.”