Cumbria Community Foundation has reached the £500,000 milestone just a week after launching the Cumbria covid-19 response fund.

Grant funders and charitable trusts in the county have shown a sign of solidarity by collectively contributing to the fund and an anonymous couple have donated £250,000.

With the over 70s and vulnerable being told to self-isolate to reduce the risk of them catching the virus, it puts even more pressure and demands on charities. To try and alleviate this pressure, the fund will initially give priority to applications from charities supporting those considered to the most vulnerable.

Francis C Scott Charitable Trust donated £50,000. John McGovern, chair of trustees, said: "The virus may be invisible, but its impact will be seen and felt by many in Cumbria.

"We hope others will join us in providing support to Cumbria Community Foundation in its efforts to protect the most vulnerable."

Sir John Fisher Foundation also donated £50,000. David Dawson, executive officer, said: "By working in partnership with other Cumbrian funder, we'll use our collective knowledge to reach the organisations helping vulnerable people on the ground.

"Our communities will be hit hard by the impact of coronavirus and they will need significant support over the next few months."

Another £50,000 was donated by Copeland Community Fund.

Board member, David Moore, said: “Given the potential impact of the current situation on individuals and communities in Copeland, our board made a unanimous decision to support the Cumbria Covid-19 Response Fund with a £50,000 donation for Copeland based community organisations."

The Cumbria Covid-19 Response Fund will work alongside the National Emergencies Trust’s coronavirus Appeal which is raising money nationally to financially support groups across the county.

Andy Beeforth, CEO at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “We're thrilled that our funding partners have made this commitment to the Fund, building on their already fantastic support in the community through their own grants. With this additional funding, we’ll be able to make more

grants to reach the organisations helping vulnerable people on the ground. We expect to make the first grants within the week.”

For more information about the fund and how to donate, visit www.cumbriafoundation.org

For groups wanting to enquire about funding, they should visit: https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/covid19-response-fund or contact the grants team on grants@cumbriafoundation.org.