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Category: News

Swifts in the Community – Project Update

Thanks to generous donations received by LDF, we were able to support `Swifts in the Community’. A project made up of enthusiastic volunteers who monitor the numbers of nesting swifts, which sadly are in decline partly due to modern building design. Fortunately, survey work has been able to continue throughout the Covid-19 pandemic with volunteers carrying out their monitoring whilst observing social distancing rules. However, planned educational talks and presentations have had to go on hold for the time being.

“The grant money has enabled us to purchase nesting boxes which are being used in areas where there are only a small number of known nest sites. These small groups of birds are very vulnerable to disturbance as they are likely to desert an area if something stops their successful breeding. By providing nesting boxes in strategic locations it is hoped that more swifts will be attracted to the vicinity helping to preserve their presence.  

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic we have been unable to hold our planned educational visits to local schools. This has been particularly disappointing as Crosthwaite school has swifts nesting in the school building. However, during the autumn/winter we will update our leaflets and printed material ready to distribute when circumstances allow.

We would like to thank LDF for supporting our project. It is thanks to their funding that we are able to continue to support the Swifts in our Community.”

To ensure that more projects like this can continue, please DONATE to the Lake District Foundation, your support really does make a difference.

 

Get Coniston buzzing – Project Update on this exciting project to reintroduce wildflower meadow in Coniston.

Thanks to generous donations to the Lake District Foundation, we made a grant to Coniston Wildflower Meadow project in December last year. With wildflower meadows in serious decline, this project seeks to turn a green space in the centre of Coniston into a beautiful wildflower meadow with information boards explaining the benefits for wildlife and species including bees and other pollinators.

Despite the unforeseen restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, planting of the new wildflower meadow has taken place earlier this month and all the signs are looking good for pollinators in Coniston.

“Our plans were to complete the meadow in May, but unfortunately Covid-19 restrictions meant we had to put this back until late summer. Fortunately, we were able to prepare the ground for planting in September and planted half of the area in wildflower turf and half with seeds to compare the results for future projects. Within a couple of hours of planting the turf bees were already attracted to the area. Surely a good sign for things to come!

The local secondary school have been involved too, carrying out a quadrant survey of the area prior to planting and with the help of a local expert they will continue to study the area next year. An information board is being created by a local artist highlighting the importance of wildflower meadows and a small fence will be erected around the site.

We are extremely grateful to the Lake District Foundation for their support and hope that our project will encourage others to create their very own wildflower meadow.”

To ensure that more projects like this can continue, please DONATE to the Lake District Foundation, your support really does make a difference.

 

New business supporter: The Lost Compass

We are delighted to announce a new partnership between the Lake District Foundation and The Lost Compass, a new UK based company, supplying 100% eco-friendly and sustainable apparel and clothing.

The Lost Compass is a family business, based in Cheshire, UK and is run by Jade and Jack and was founded in 2018. The Lost Compass aims to provide a clothing brand that is substantially less harmful to the environment; provides a Fairtrade and ethical product lifecycle; transforms the mind-set of clothing consumers towards carbon neutral alternatives and celebrates all that is fantastic about the UK’s countryside.

We are delighted that Jade and Jack have chosen to donate 5% of sales of their organic cotton Scafell and the Herdwick Sheep t-shirts to the Lake District Foundation, it is so exciting to be working with a company that considers the environment in every aspect of their productions and sales.

In addition to their environmental credentials, all of the printing and embroidery is completed in the UK, thus supporting British businesses.

Jade says “We want to be able to give something back to a country that has provided us with so many fond memories. Therefore being able to donate some of our profits to our National Parks, fulfils our ambition to help sustain this beautiful country we call home.

For us at The Lost Compass it is very simple… Explore our World, Sustain our Home and Enjoy Every Minute.”

To read more about their story and to purchase their fantastic products, visit www.thelostcompassltd.co.uk

And if you would like to find out more about supporting the Lake District Foundation in your business, and to read about the impact of donations, take a look here or get in touch.

 

Orrest Head Fundraising Campaign Raises £38,000

A local conservation charity, the Lake District Foundation and the Lake District National Park are celebrating raising over £38,000 for the Orrest Head accessibility improvement project. 

The fundraising campaign launched last autumn aims is create an alternative path to the summit of Orrest Head making it suitable for people with limited mobility, including people with powered-wheelchairs and families with pushchairs to see this spectacular viewpoint. 

Donations for the project have been building over the last year but this week the fundraising campaign was successful in securing £5,000 from the TransPennine Express Transform Grants Fund: a community fund supporting projects that tackle youth unemployment, promote social inclusion and improve the environment. 

Steve Tonkin, Lake District Foundation, said: “We are over the moon with this award from the Transform Grants Fund. It’s helped reach over £38,000 mark! We have an ambitious target of raising £50,000 in total but know with the support and generous donations from visitors and locals we can do it. You can make a donation today on our website, lakedistrictfoundation.org.” 

The Lake District Foundation is working alongside the Lake District National Park, Windermere Town Council and South Lakeland District Council to drive this fundraising campaign forward. The plan is to restore a section of Victorian carriage drive and create an accessible path to the viewpoint, improve the water drainage and restore the eroded summit landscape, replace the worn-out seating, provide more information about the area and the view. The project also hopes to provide an all-terrain Lake District Mobility scooter for people to borrow to get to the viewpoint.

Marian Jones, Area Ranger, Lake District National Park said: “Covid 19 has had an impact on our project plans so we are now aiming to complete the project by December 2021, but this depends having the necessary funding in place. This project aims to help more people enjoy and appreciate the view from Orrest Head by creating improved, sustainable access to the summit. It is a project about people – removing barriers, providing opportunity, increasing understanding and building relationships. Thank you for your support.” 

You can make a donation on the Lake District Foundation website by visiting lakedistrictfoundation.org.

A Bed for Bees – Project Update from the Bee Hide Project

Thanks to generous donations to the Lake District Foundation, we made grant to the Community Bee Hide Project in Kendal in December 2019. We got in touch with the Bee Team to find out how they are doing and how the Coronavirus Pandemic has impacted their plans.

“As you can imagine, Covid has unfortunately put the lid on many of our community plans for this year. However, the ‘Bee Hide’ is almost finished, only the internals to finish including the installation of an exciting ‘observation’ hive, which will enable our community visitors a view of the bees all year round.

We have installed a ‘Bee Bed’ an accessible raised bed planted up with bee & pollinator friendly plants, along with a large information ID board, we hope to teach children, young people and members of the community about ‘what bees need’ and how they can engage in wildlife by planting for bees & other pollinators. Covid allowing, we will be running this out for community groups next year.

This year, as so many of our youngsters have missed out on their beekeeping, we have run several ‘Bee Summer School’ sessions which have been oversubscribed and a huge success! The children have learnt not just about honeybees and beekeeping, but solitary bees, their habitats, nesting habits and what they can do at home to help provide habitat & forage for them. These sessions really came to life as we have a ‘solitary bee village’ a collection of various nesting boxes for bees, many with observation panels, so the children and visitors can see exactly how these amazing bees create their nests! 

Our large plot of wildflowers planted by the children has been a huge success this year, so it is sad we have not had many visitors with Covid restrictions. But the bees and wildlife have loved it and it has been an incredible teaching resource for us.

We rare so grateful for the grant which has enabled us to deliver the apiary & Bee Hide. It has been an amazing project see develop and even with the unprecendented restrictions in place, it is already proving a huge success!  Broadening the knowledge, enthusing and developing beekeeping skills of not only our young people, but the many visitors to the apiary.

Thank you so much for your support and sharing our vision for the apiary as a community resource.”

To ensure that more projects like this can continue, please DONATE to the Lake District Foundation, your support really does make a difference.

 

The Climbers Shop welcomes back customers safely

The Climbers Shop in Ambleside have opened their doors again and are excited to be back up and running. With over 100 years of retail heritage they are incredibly proud to offer a huge choice of clothing and equipment for climbers, mountaineers, hillwalkers and trail runners for use in the Lake District and beyond!

The Climbers Shop is one of the Foundation 150 business supporters who either fundraise for the charity or make a donation. They have reopened their doors again and looking forward to fundraising for the Foundation. Cathy, the shop Manager, tell us their story of reopening….

“It’s taken a little time to adapt to business unusual but our staff have been fully involved in how we re-open our shop as safely as we can. We are all loving being back at work again, welcoming customers old and new through our doors and catching up with friendly faces to see how everyone has fared during lockdown. One of our team made re-useable facemasks so staff have at least two each – if you look carefully you’ll see they have a walking boot lace for a strap which is certainly a lot more comfortable than elastic behind the ears!

Our re-opening has been phased so that we have been able to offer private appointments to customers who are concerned about coming into a busy shop environment but on our fully open days we regularly manage the number of customers in the shop at any one time in line with social distancing guidance. We also close for lunch for an hour so that our staff can take a proper break outside if they wish and to allow for extra cleaning throughout the day.  

          From the outset we put an enhanced cleaning regime into place which, along with hand sanitizers on entry, daily disinfectant sprays and quarantining clothing that has been tried on all adds up to making our shop environment as safe as we can make it. 

               It’s a continual learning curve for all of us as we all have to take responsibility for stopping the spread of Coronavirus but importantly, it has also created some great discussions among the management team about how we can use lockdown almost as a re-set for how we make daily decisions within our business and how they can impact the wellbeing of our staff, our customers, our local community, local environment and climate change as a whole. Last year was our 60th anniversary and we used that as a launch pad to embark on a more sustainable path resulting in over £35,000 in donations to local charities such as Fix The Fells, Mountain Rescue and Community Action Nepal. By working with local charity Brathay to launch the Ambleside Trail 60 Ultra Marathon we succeeded in creating a fantastic event which not only showcased some of the best scenery the Lake District has to offer but also food from some of our fabulous local hotels and café’s. 

               This autumn we plan to build on the valuable information provided at The Lake District Foundations free Green Business Initiative by measuring the carbon footprint of our whole business and ensuring that whatever the winter season may bring, the health of our staff, customers and the environment remain at the heart of our business decisions since this Spring and summer have proved how intrinsically linked we all are.”

               “We are very proud to support The Lake District Foundation by pledging 50p from every sale of our branded Nalgene Water Bottles so they can continue their vital work in protecting the beautiful, unique, fragile, World Heritage Site that we love.”

Cathy
The Climbers Shop

Cumbria Hedgerow Campaign Receives Donation Boost

A fundraising campaign aiming to raise £100,000 to create and reinstate 4,000 metres of native hedgerows in the Lake District has received a generous boost from the Woodland Trust. 
 
The Lake District Foundation, Ullswater Catchment Management CIC, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Eden Rivers Trust launched the Real Hedge Fund in June 2020. The campaign aims to highlight the importance of hedgerows in the environment, the role within the cultural and natural heritage of the Lake District and to replant native hedgerows where these have been removed. 
 

The Real Hedge Fund campaign has had a fantastic start with 180 metres of new native hedges donated by the Woodland Trust, which equates to a financial donation of £4,500.  
 

Sarah Swindley, Lake District Foundation’s, CEO said, “We’ve hit the ground running thanks to the Woodland Trust. A huge thank-you to them for leading the way with a superb donation. We have an ambitious plan to plant 4,000 metres of native hedgerow, which costs around £25 per metre to manage and plant across Cumbria and we need your help. We want you to see nature as the best investment with the highest return!”  
 

The local conservation charity, Lake District Foundation, is encouraging everyone to get involved by making a donation from £25 per metre. All information can be found at lakedistrictfoundation.org.  
 

Julia Aglionby, University of Cumbria’s Professor in Practice, said: “Since the second world war we have lost over half our hedges, that is over 250,000 miles of hedges and many that are remaining are in poor condition. Hedges are great, they provide food for birds and insects, they are refuges for wildflowers and contain multiple species of trees and shrubs. As importantly they reduce flooding by slowing run off, store carbon and act as corridors for wildlife across more intensively managed farmland. From a farming perspective they are good too, providing sheltered boundaries which as a farmer I know are invaluable in stormy weather.  The Real Hedge Fund campaign is an opportunity to make a difference and raise vital awareness, so we hope you get involved and support us. Thank-you.” 
 
The charity will also be running a larger crowdfunding appeal later in the year through the national Big Give platform. It is the leading online match funder which brings charities, philanthropists and the public together to multiply their impact. The crowdfunding appeal will support the Real Hedge Fund campaign, the charity is looking for a small number of donors to help them kick start this appeal from businesses to individuals.  If you would be interested in getting involved, get in touch with the Lake District Foundation either by email, [email protected] or telephone 01539 822622. 

To make a donation to the Real Hedge Fund and for further information visit https://www.lakedistrictfoundation.org/the-real-hedge-fund/. 
 

“We’ve hit the ground running thanks to the Woodland Trust. A huge thank-you to them for leading the way with a superb donation.“

Sarah Swindley, Lake District Foundation’s, CEO

Conquer Lake District donate over £2,000

Conquer Lake District are a local business with a passion for the outdoors and believe it is their responsibility to promote, protect and preserve our incredible National Park. Their beautifully designed patches and gifts are eye catching and make the perfect keepsake for treasured memories of a Lake District visit. If you haven’t yet seen their products, take a look here. 

Conquer Lake District partnered with the Lake District Foundation in January 2019, and decided to donate 5% from every single product that they sold, both on line and in their 40 stockists, raising an impressive £2,013.41 in one year.  They also donated T shirts to the Lake District Foundation for raffle prizes, enabling even more funds to be raised, and designed a beautiful bespoke patch for the Lake District Foundation to give their new supporters as a thank you gift. 

Owner and Founder Caroline says “Through our quality goods we aim to inspire people to have fun and celebrate the adventure whilst also caring for our majestic and delicate landscape. We may be a small business, but we are proud to have made such a huge commitment and it was important to us to build a charitable element into our strategy from the beginning.” 

The funds raised by Conquer Lake District will be used to care for the spectacular wildlife, landscape and cultural heritage of the Lake District and provided financial support to small but effective projects, see some examples here. 

Sarah Smith, LDF Operations Manager, says “It is so important that we are able to partner with a local and sustainable businesses whose values align with ours. At the Lake District Foundation, we consider the impact of everything that we do, so it is fantastic to be able to work with a sustainable company like Conquer Lake District. Their support makes a huge difference.” 

Caroline adds, “We believe in making quality products that connect people with the projects that care for our majestic yet delicate National Park. It is wonderful to see people returning to the Lake District and enjoying the great outdoors following the Coronavirus restrictions, and we are proud that we can help them to give something back too.” 

Staying safe at the Langdale Hotel

The Foundation works with over 150 business supporters who either fundraise for the charity or make a donation. The businesses have been busy preparing to re-open safely at the start of July following Visit Britain guidelines.  

The Langdale has been a true champion and valued business supporter for the Lake District Foundation. They’ve re-opened their doors with their ‘Good to Go’ accreditation from Visit Britain and excited to welcome visitors back. Dan Visser, from the Langdale Team, share how they’ve reopened safely: 

‘We continue to work hard and have the safety and welfare of our guests, staff and the local community at the heart of everything we do.  Following the very latest Government guidelines, we have implemented a range of new procedures for check-in and check-out, housekeeping, dining and how guests are able to enjoy themselves and get the most from their time with us.

Due to Government legislation Brimstone spa remain closed for the foreseeable future. 

1 – Checking In and Checking Out

When checking in and checking out there will be a number of options for the way you can arrive, depart and access your accommodation to keep everyone safe and distanced set out below.

2 – Cleaning

Accommodation

All accommodation at Langdale is cleaned to the highest possible standard.  Additional attention will be paid to certain areas to keep everyone safe.

3 – Contactless Payment

Cash will no longer be accepted across the site including Wainwrights Inn. Guests staying on site will be able to charge to their room and pay on departure (see above) or use any form of contactless payment.

Ordering food and drinks can be done from your own mobile device.

4 – Spa and Fitness & Leisure

Unfortunately, due to the government’s latest guidelines we are not able to open Brimstone spa, but will as soon as we’re able to.  However, the Langdale Fitness & Leisure facilities are now open with restricted access and on a booking only system

5 – Restaurants and Bars

Both Stove Restaurant & Bar and Wainwrights’ Inn are open with reduced capacity to maintain social distance and only offer table service.

6 – Communications

We are pretty good with the elimination of paper at Langdale and this is a great time to go all the way. Before your stay all information will be sent by email at least twice. 

7 – Staff and Partners

Our team have all been trained in new ways of working in order to keep themselves and everyone who visits Langdale safe. 

We’re also working alongside a number of trusted partners such as Ecolab our chemical specialists who provide all our WHO recommended cleaning products which are used site-wide.  We’re also making sure that partners and suppliers own Risk Assessments and practices dovetail with our own. 

8 – Cancellation Policy

Langdale Hotel

At Langdale we have always tried to be as fair as possible on each and every situation where someone needs to cancel a booking. Our best available rate can be cancelled up to 24 hours prior to arrival.  

Langdale Self Catering

We will always do our best to find a solution which is fair to both the bookers and our clients the accommodation owners. Where a government restriction on travel exists refunds will be given

9 – The Future

No one knows what the future holds ….it’s an age-old cliché, but seems to be more true than ever right now.  One thing is for certain, we will be here to offer the best (and safest) possible experience for you whilst you’re visiting the Lake District.

Rothay Manor is open for business and Covid ready

The Foundation works with over 150 business supporters who either fundraise for the charity or make a donation. The businesses have been busy preparing to re-open safely at the start of July following Visit Britain guidelines.  

Rothay Manor Country House Hotel is one of the finest luxury Lake District hotels in Ambleside the heart of the Lake District. Rothay Manor have been a business supporter since 2019.

Jenna Shail, Owner of Rothay Manor, explains how Covid has impacted the business but they have taken steps to open their doors safely.

How has lockdown affected you? 

“It’s obviously been extremely difficult from a business point of view.  To have no takings for 4 months is going to hit any business hard!  We kept ourselves busy painting the entire outside of the hotel, including window frames…which turned out to be quite a big job!!  But, the painting gave us a daily focus, which was great!”

Would you mind sharing your re-opening strategy? 

“We carried out a full risk -assessment, all of our staff are certified in covid-19 knowledge, and we have implemented new procedures throughout the whole hotel.  It’s been difficult for the business, as lots of new items have had to be purchased to ensure our covid-19 safety, but  I think we are now through the worst of it, and getting back to a new normal!”

How important is looking after the Lake District now and in the future?

“So important, it has been heart-braking to see how many people dis-respected the area when lockdown was lifted.  I’m a keen outdoor person, and appreciate the beauty of our area, and don’t like to see it spoilt by people’s laziness!! 

Not only is the area important for my business, but also important to me personally, which is why we joined the Lake District Foundation…to try to do our bit!”

Would you like to share anything further about the impact on your business?

“From a personal point of view it was lovely to have the Lake District so peaceful, and we felt very privileged to live in such a beautiful place!”

How Covid has impacted on our thinking about the natural world

During May and June, we ran a short survey to find out more about people’s views and concerns about our natural world, and the role that access to natural spaces had played during the corona virus pandemic.  Nearly 230 people responded to our survey, and we will be using the findings to help shape and inform our future programmes of work. 

Who Responded? 

Most respondents were over 25, so we know we need to do some further work to capture the view and insights of young people. 

Nearly everyone who replied had some access to green or natural spaces during this time, though we know that this isn’t the case for everyone. 

Most respondents were from Cumbria and Lancashire and we can assume that most respondents already had an interest in protecting and conserving the environment, with 67% reporting that green and natural spaces were just as important to them now as they had always been. 

Key Findings

  • Most people (66%) reported discovering new spaces, footpaths and routes near to where they lived.   
  • Footpaths and rights of way and woodlands were the most visited spaces, followed by streets and local parks, and over half of people said that they will continue to access green and natural spaces more local to them once restrictions are lifted.  “I have decided that I want to spend more time in nature locally and cut my driving and travel.” 
  • People reported a range of positive benefits from having access to natural spaces during ‘lock down’ and restrictions, with 75% reporting positive benefits to their mental health, and 62% reporting benefits to their physical health.  64% of people also reported that access to natural space provided an activity at a time when other options for recreation were limited.
  • However, a smaller number of people recorded negative impacts, in particular reporting concerns around maintaining social distancing and feeling confident to access spaces safely when other people are around, especially following an increase in the number of people accessing green spaces that they might normally use.
  • Nearly everyone reported seeing some positive changes in the nature and wildlife around them, recording increases in birdsong, wildlife and insects, with 35% of people reported that they now wanted to do more to help conserve the natural world. 
  • All respondents placed great value on being able to access green and natural spaces, with 67% saying that they are just as important as they were before, and 33% reporting that they were now even more important to them. 
  • We can see that the benefit people have gained from our natural spaces has positively  influenced their interest in supporting charities working to protect these spaces.  Half of respondents already donated to causes which support the natural world and environment, and 12% said that they now might give more in the future.  Nearly 1/3rd reported that they had not given to support the natural world before but might now in the future. 
  • We’ve also seen an increases in the volume of people willing to donate through outdoor contactless points, with just over 50% of respondents reported that they would be likely to donate in this way, compared to 31% when we surveyed people in this issues in 2018 survey.  

Emerging Themes  

Several broader themes also emerged from the survey, and which we will be working to explore further. 

  • Health and Wellbeing – Our survey highlighted the vital role that access to green and natural spaces plays in supporting health and wellbeing, and in particular mental health and emotional wellbeing. 
  • Managing visitors to the area – People identified the challenges in managing access to green and natural spaces, and balancing the needs of both residents and visitors.
  • Equality of access– People recognised that not everyone had equal access to green and natural spaces and were keen to explore how this could best be tackled.  
  • Transport and Parking – Restrictions on travel highlighted the hugely positive impact of reduced traffic in and around our natural spaces.  People were keen to explore how we could build on this and improve infrastructure for other forms of more environmentally friendly travel to and around our green spaces – including cycling and improved public transport. 
  • Behaving Responsibly – People’s reported concerns about a perceived lack of knowledge or education around how to safely and considerately access the countryside and natural spaces.  Many people reported that they thought people were  now less familiar with the Countryside Code. 
  • Learning from the crisis to improve the management of our natural spaces – People wanted the wider response to current crisis to have nature at its heart.  They highlighted positive consequences of restrictions which could be captured and used to inform future developments in the management of green / natural spaces. For example, looking at the impact of reduced traffic and footfall across the Lake District National Park and exploring what this has shown us and what could be taken forward in the future. 
  • Biodiversity loss – People expressed broad concerns regarding biodiversity loss, in our natural spaces, and suggested how changes in land, environmental and farming management practices could be used to tackle this.  

Survey quotes

“I feel it’s become apparent that natural and green spaces are imperative to physical and mental well-being. However, it has also demonstrated the challenges that exist. How do we travel to these spaces? How do we interact with them? How do we balance the needs of those visiting vs the impact of those visits? We could have a unique opportunity to change the way we do things, but that change needs to start now.”

“I miss the Lakes!! Cannot wait to be able to come back and enjoy the mountains again with my family. Outdoor spaces, particularly the lakes, is hugely important to my mental health – it is where I feel most comfortable and happy.”

“Home working and the restrictions have put a heavier reliance on accessing natural spaces for exercise and mental health, but have only strengthened my existing conviction of the need for a simple and close relationship with nature – and the desire to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly by car, and also technology when engaging with nature.“

“Access to green spaces has been vital for us as  key workers and with 3 children under 7 mental well being has been a top priority for us to maintain.“

“We should encourage more sustainable modes of transport.  The lack of traffic in the Lakes was profound in the early weeks of lockdown and enhanced my experience of the Lakes.”

“I’ve lived in the Lakes for 4 years and have never done as much outdoors as I have done during lockdown. Not having access really made me appreciate it. Only been able to access what was on my doorstep made me appreciate where I live. I was furloughed; I’m worried about what it will be like going back to work. I was always so tired! With the long days and commuting. I’m worried I will lose the joy I’ve had from being outdoors because of lack of time.“

Cedar Manor is open for business and Covid ready

The Foundation works with over 150 business supporters who either fundraise for the charity or make a donation. The businesses have been busy preparing to re-open safely at the start of July following Visit Britain guidelines.  

The Cedar Manor Hotel in Windermere has been a business supporter since 2007 raising over £17,000 for the Foundation during that period. They re-opened their doors at the start of July after receiving their ‘Good to Go’ accreditation from Visit Britain.   

Jonathan Kaye, Owner of The Cedar Manor Hotel, explains,  

“We have gone through quite an extensive program to get Covid-19 safe. We have received our accreditation from Visit Britain, the Good to Go Kitemark, in July and have now opened our doors. 

To get this we have completed 3 key risk assessments that are all focussed on Covid-19.

First a customer journey, from booking to departing, to ensure they will feel confident and safe at all times.

Second, the staff journey, whether chef, housekeeper, front of house or manager, to ensure they are aware of the new standards and rules and can complete their tasks in a safe environment.

Third, the building. We have been working to make this covid safe by the using an external contractor who will use an environmentally friendly chemical to “Fog” all our rooms and public areas (including the terrace) which puts an invisible coating over all surfaces, even fabrics that lasts 28 days.

We have purchased PPE for staff and training plans have been implemented. We have implemented digital signage in place with sanitizing stations at the entrance and entrances to public areas. Our room folders have been replaced with an APP and Hotel TV channels added for those who don’t use a smartphone, with all you need to know about the hotel.

We have sent emails to guests booking with revised information, pre-arrival emails with detailed information regarding to arrival at the hotel and the option to pay online prior to departure, making it a contactless experience. Also, not forgetting with added our Covid Guest Charter on our website too.

Above all, we are reassuring guests that although it sounds like a “new world”, we want them to come and relax knowing that its safe and they are going to be well looked after.”

Why we support the Lake District Foundation?

“Initially, we joined in 2007 shortly after taking over Cedar Manor. We were introduced to the foundation and understood quickly that a few pounds from each guest would do great work for local charities. What struck a cord for us was the Park being a place to come for free and asking the guests for £2 to help keep the footpaths maintained, preserve red squirrels and do other great work was a no-brainer.

We then looked at our “green” journey and visitor giving is part of gaining green accolades, so as we were already embarked on this process, it was a big tick for us. The guests really don’t mind and love the fact that they can contribute to the well-being of the park.”

What struck a cord for us was the Park being a place to come for free and asking the guests for £2 to help keep the footpaths maintained, preserve red squirrels and do other great work was a no-brainer.

Jonathan Kaye, oWNER
cEDAR MANOR
Cedar Manor Hotel 
Jonathan and Caroline Kaye 
cedarmanor.co.uk 

 

The Bath House is open for business and Covid ready

The Foundation works with over 150 business supporters who either fundraise for the charity or make a donation. The businesses have been busy preparing to re-open safely at the start of July following Visit Britain guidelines.  

The Bath House is a fragrance and natural skincare brand founded in 1997 by a creative team of artists and designers who live and work in the Lake District. They joined as business supporters in 2019. They have opened their shops in Ambleside and Bowness and looking forward to welcoming visitors back.

Nigel Brooks, Owner of the Bath House, is delighted to share their Covid-19 story and why they support the Lake District Foundation:

“At the Bath House, we are delighted to support the Lake District Foundation. Having a rural business based within the landscapes of the Dales and Lakes continually reminds us of the need to preserve and care for the landscape and environment on our door step. We are delighted to be partnering with an organisation that shares our vision for preserving and sustaining the natural environment . 

Over the past few months we have perhaps all had time to reflect on what long term implications of the Covid 19 Pandemic may be for everyone and at the Bath House we are taking this experience as a warning of just how fragile the environment in which we live in, is. The global forces of nature are not something humanity can be complacent about and for our part as a business we are even more committed to following a path which helps reduce our impact on the planet. While monetary costs may be more for both us and our consumer in the short term, we will continue to make all our products with natural ingredients which are sustainably sourced and eco-certified. With the rising awareness of the  effects of plastics and their negative impact on the environment we intend to reduce our use of plastic containers by over 70 % and will introduce refillables in the next twelve months. We also will continue to reduce the amount of packaging we use something we believe in and our customers are asking for. 

We decided from the start of the lock down we would create a safe shopping environment and so at the Bath House we have deliberately and quite fundamentally changed our working practices and how we market and merchandise our products. 

For instance we have created a new ‘no-touch’ easy to clean environment in all our shops. Our products are all now  picked from behind the counter by our beauty advisors to ensure they are safe and untouched . We offer a ‘one to one’ shopping experience allowing just a single person or family group in the shop at any one time.  Protective screens allow for a very safe new sampling system to operate where our beauty advisor can freely discuss and demonstrate products in a friendly casual way .  In essence we are deliberately marketing our shops as a very safe, friendly place where you can still come to try-out and sample our perfumes, natural skin care and home fragrances.   It is our intention to establish a reputation for excellence and safety though our customer service during the pandemic .  

Three of our six shops are now open and the reaction from our customers has been very encouraging and we seem to have got the balance just right. 

We are looking forward to working more closely with the Lake District Foundation sponsoring specific projects where we can link our fragrances and products to certain places or  inspirational aspects of the unique Lakeland environment.  

At the Bath House, we are delighted to support the Lake District Foundation. Having a rural business based within the landscapes of the Dales and Lakes continually reminds us of the need to preserve and care for the landscape and environment on our door step.

NIGEL BROOKS
OWNER
BATH HOUSE

CONSERVATION CHARITY WELCOMES VISITORS BACK TO NATIONAL PARK

The Lake District Foundation extends a warm welcome to visitors returning to the Lake District National Park as COVID restrictions ease and tourism businesses re-open. 

The Lake District Foundation, the charity raising funds to look after the Lake District National Park and Cumbria, have worked alongside partners and businesses to look after our natural world whilst visitors have been away. They have carried out research to understand the impact during this time and are proud of their business supporters’ opening their doors safely for visitors again. 

A small local survey conducted by the Foundation before the easing of restrictions in June revealed one third of people now feel that the green and natural spaces are more important than before and 75% reported the outdoors have a positive impact on their mental health. Nearly everyone reported seeing positive and visible changes in the environment and nature around them, recording increases in birdsong, wildlife and insects.  

Sarah Swindley, Lake District Foundation’s CEO, said: “It is more important than ever to look after the open spaces and spectacular landscape not only for the environment but also for people’s health and well-being.  
We are excited to welcome visitors back and hope you enjoy your favourite places in the Lake District but we do rely on your help to care for the wildlife, landscape and cultural heritage. There are many ways you can support: look out for our contactless donation boxes at Ullswater Steamers in Glenridding and Wainwrights Inn in the Langdales, or visit our website lakedistrictfoundation.org, and via our amazing business supporters across the Lake District. Thank-you for your continued support.” 

The Foundation works with over 150 business supporters who either fundraise for the charity or make a donation. The businesses have been busy preparing to re-open safely at the start of July following Visit Britain guidelines. 

The Cedar Manor Hotel in Windermere has been a business supporter since 2007 raising over £17,000 for the Foundation during that period. They re-opened their doors at the start of July after receiving their ‘Good to Go’ accreditation from Visit Britain.  

Jonathan Kaye, Owner of The Cedar Manor Hotel, explains, “To get this we have completed 3 key risk assessments that are all focussed on Covid-19. First a customer journey, second, the staff journey, third, the building.  Above all we are reassuring guests that although it sounds like a “new world”, we want them to come and relax knowing that it’s safe and they are going to be well looked after. We are delighted we can continue to fundraise for the Lake District Foundation and know our guests really love the fact that they can contribute to the well-being of the park through staying with us at Cedar Manor.” 

The money raised by the Lake District Foundation is distributed to effective projects that share the charity’s goals within the UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Welcome back

The Lake District is now welcoming back visitors. We are delighted you have continued to support and value this special place. 

Whilst you have been away, we have worked alongside partners and businesses to look after our natural world. We hope you enjoy exploring the open spaces and your favourite spots in this spectacular landscape. For guidance on visiting safely, please visit the Lake District National Park website.   

We rely on your support to help to care for the wildlife, landscapes and cultural heritage of the Lake District and Cumbria.  

Find out more about the many ways that you can make a difference today here. 

The Real Hedge Fund

The Lake District Foundation works with partners to help care for the landscape, wildlife and heritage of the area. We know that people have been really valuing our natural world during lockdown and we have been getting lots of enquires about how best to offer support. We think hedgerows tick a lot of boxes!

We have an ambitious plan want to create or reinstate 4 Kilometres of new hedgerows in the Lake District.

Lake District Shortlisted for share of £50 Million Heritage Horizons Funding

We are so excited that the Lake District Foundation, on behalf of the Lake District National Park Partnership, is one of 12 organisations selected to take forward a development proposal to the Heritage Horizons Awards, competing for a share of £50 million.

Our proposal is titled:

Secured for our future – Nature, World Heritage and Farming in the Lake District

It focuses on 3 closely connected areas:

  • Nature Recovery and Climate Resilience, delivering farmer and community led nature recovery, providing bigger, better and more joined up habitats, storing carbon and increasing resilience to climate change.
  • Securing and futureproofing our farming heritage and culture in our World Heritage Site
  • Engaging a new generation with our work and with the Lake District, which has always been a place of inspiration for the nation.

Read the full Press Release or watch a short video 

Help us to fix the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association Marquee

Following storm damage to a set of marquees that were erected for Loweswater Show on 1 September 2019 The storm caused £10,000 of damage, Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association wish to raise £1,750 to cover half the £2500 excess on their marquee insurance policy.

We granted of £1750 to them via our small grants fund and we are now helping HSBA with this crowdfunder to raise the remaining £1,750.

If this Crowdfunder is successful, HSBA will be in a position to continue supplying the marquees that are a fundamental necessity for such events.

The following organisations make use of their facilities:

Millom & Broughton Agricultural Show
Eskdale Show
Gosforth Show
Wasdale Head Show
Egremont Crab Fair
Ennerdale Show
Loweswater Show
Cockermouth Show
Keswick Show
Threlkeld Sheep Doig Trials
Buttermere Show
Borrowdale Show

Without the marquees some of these show may not be able to run.

Please donate now to let us raise £1750

Green Business Network

Green business network

The Lake District Foundation cares about our environment – and we know that our supporters do too. With our Green Business Network we want to work together. To share tips and experience of cost effective ways to make your business greener.

If you want to know more about `green’ business network opportunities, or share your experiences and ideas then come along to one of our breakfast meetings. More details and how to book your place can be found here. If you would like to see the Top 10 tips for easy green business solutions, click here.

Book the next network meeting now

Visit our Green Business page

A-ha Distribution supports LDF

The Lake District Foundation is pleased to welcome A-ha Distribution to its growing number of business supporters.

A-ha Distribution are a local company with a huge love of the area we work and live in. So much of our work is about distributing information about the fabulous things to see and do in Cumbria and the Lake District. We know the landscape, heritage and wildlife are a huge part of why our customers need us. It makes sense that we want to be part of the business community that protects it. We are pleased to support The Lake District Foundation and no doubt you will see their leaflets in our distribution stands so much more now.

There is another reason we want to support the work done by  The Lake District Foundation. We are big supporters of our community too.  In the last year we have distributed over 27 000 child focussed maps with activity booklets to the children in Cumbria. We want this precious natural outdoor playground to be in a condition our children can benefit from for years to come.

Elaine Rengers – Director

A warm welcome to our new supporter

A very warm welcome to Matson Ground Estate Company. The newest addition to our business supporter community.

Comprising two working farms, several holiday cottages, residential lets and commercial units, all situated in some of the most breathtaking scenery the Lake District has to offer, Matson Ground Estate Company is looking forward to working with the Lake District Foundation and its supporters.

Rachel Thomas, MD says `We are acutely aware that as the number of visitors to this beautiful part of the country increases, so does the need to protect and preserve what we are lucky enough to have on our doorstep. Which is why we have chosen to support the Lake District Foundation.

This represents a fantastic opportunity to reduce any negative impact on the local environment, while at the same time promoting the Lake District as a world-class visitor destination.’

Funding for local projects 2019

The Lake District Foundation has revealed the nine projects which will receive funds from the latest round of grant funding. The successful projects from across Cumbria each will receive between £1,000 and £2,500.

In total 27 applications were received, making it a difficult task to choose which projects should benefit from funding.

Sarah Swindley, CEO Lake District Foundation said

`Its fantastic to see the local conservation work carried out across the county. Often, this is mainly led by volunteers doing amazing things in their free time. Our natural world would be much poorer without them, and we are happy to support where we can. It’s thanks to our work with local tourism businesses and visitors that we are able to generate this funding, and we would like to thank them for their ongoing support.’

The nine chosen projects were each awarded funding based on criteria including links to the environment, wildlife and cultural heritage. They are:

`Growing Well’ School children will be invited to visit their site at Sizergh Farm to learn how food is grown, what it needs to grow, get hands on in an activity, and discover other wildlife, inspiring future generations to get involved in horticulture and the natural world.

`Bee Hide’ Project (Heron Hill School) will provide a safe, inclusive, viewing area for the children and the wider community to enjoy and learn about bee keeping and the importance of bees in our ecosystem.

The Herdwick Sheep Breeder’s Society was awarded funding for the repair of their marquee which suffered storm damage. This is vital to the future of our local shows and links strongly to our World Heritage status.

Wildlife and Heritage Garden (Calderbridge and Ponsonby Communities) aims to rejuvenate the community areas to attract more wildlife and in so doing bring together different generations.

Swifts in the Community (SITC) have an army of volunteers who monitor the numbers of nesting swifts, which are in decline due to modern building design. They also give lots of local advice about how best to support these world travellers.

Staveley Woodlands (Cumbria Wildlife Trust) is a recently extended nature reserve. The project will involve walling off a section of land, hedging and the installation of bird and bat boxes, as well as creating a trail guide and way markers to guide people around the reserve.

`Space Invaders’ (South Cumbria River’s Trust) This is an ongoing project aimed at eradicating Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) such as Himalayan Balsam, and allowing native wildlife to thrive.

`Farming with Nature’ (Ullswater Catchment CIC) will see 40 wooden cages, each planted on farmland with one oak tree and surrounded by other scrub plants, providing habitat for other wildlife. The trees will help to improve soil structure and aid flood management.

`Coniston Wildflower Meadow’ (Coniston Parish Council) will see the community space in the centre of the village turned into a beautiful wildflower meadow.

Help inspire others to protect and access the outdoors when you visit Kendal Mountain Festival

Kendal Mountain Festival and The Lake District Foundation are excited to announce an innovative partnership to raise funds for conservation. Festival goers are able to donate to a new fund hosted by the Foundation, supporting the joint mission to look after our natural world and inspire others to share the many benefits of life outdoors.

Donations will be split between World Land Trust, local community conservation projects and projects involving young people. With the Festival attracting over 16,000 visitors in 2018 the potential to make a real difference is enormous. 

Sarah Swindley CEO of the LDF says:

“We hope to work with the team and supporters of the Festival for the long term, developing a fund that can achieve transformational change, throughout the region and beyond. We know that our values align and we have a shared passion for inspiring others to protect and experience the wonder of the natural world. The Lake District has always been a catalyst for change and progress in outdoor adventure and we think that there are many opportunities for this partnership to develop. 

Jacqui Scott, CEO of the Kendal Mountain Festival says:

“We are delighted to align the Festival with the Lake District Foundation. The generation of these funds will provide us with new opportunities to engage with new conservation projects whilst inspiring young people; who we believe have the intuition, creativity and bravery to find solutions to protect the environment. We know that our audience are passionate about protecting mountain landscapes and enabling others to experience their beauty and will be delighted to support this partnership and help with the generation of funds to care for these precious environments.”

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