ANTI-Racist Cumbria has officially been granted charitable status and has now become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

The status was granted by the Charity Commission which will allow Anti Racist Cumbria to achieve its charitable purposes which are the promotion of equality and diversity and racial harmony for the public benefit in Cumbria.

They aim to do this by working towards the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race, promoting knowledge and mutual understanding between different racial groups, advancing education and raising awareness about different racial groups to promote good relations between persons of different racial groups.

The organisation will be regulated by the Charity Commission and will need to report annually.

Whilst charitable status comes with additional requirements, one of the benefits is that the organisation can now employ people and three new jobs have already been created. Two are now in post and one of the roles is open for applications right now.

Anti Racist Cumbria are looking for an Operations & Communications Executive to join the organisation which operates an innovative flat-pay structure where all employees are paid the same, though more usual reporting structures remain.

CEO & Co-Founder Janett Walker said: “This is a key moment for our organisation and will enable us to achieve even more and meet the growing demand for our services.

"We give thanks to our volunteers for all they have done and continue to do, and especially our Board of Trustees for their support and dedication in helping us reach this point.

"We look forward to the next chapters of Anti Racist Cumbria and a county which is proud to say that racism in all its forms has no place here.”