As part of the Lake District National Park Partnership Plan, we are the lead partner for the development of the Lake District for Everyone strategy. We want to support projects that enable people from all communities to participate in everything the Lakes has to offer.
Investible projects
Inclusion and accessibility community grant scheme
We know that people from some communities and backgrounds do not visit the Lake District or experience significant challenges when they do. The Lake District Foundation is leading working to ensure the Lake District is open and welcoming for everyone
Intervention
We are looking for investors to fund a small grant scheme that will improve access to the Lake District for people from all communities.
Methodology
The Lake District Foundation will manage, administer and implement the grant scheme. We will award small grants to community groups and organisations to engage people from marginalised groups/communities (disabled, minority ethnic groups, LGBTQ+, economically deprived). Successful groups will use the funds to participate in outdoor activity in the Lake District and to produce vlogs from planning through to completion of the trip. Vlogs will be collated to highlight any issues or challenges that emerged. We will coordinate workshops sessions with Lake District for Everyone partners and participants to find solutions to highlighted issues.
Impact
- More people from diverse communities visit the Lake District
- People from diverse communities have a better experience when visiting the Lake District
- More people are aware of the recreational opportunities, plus physical and mental health benefits of visiting the Lake District
Investment Opportunities:
£25,000 whole programme sponsorship
£5,000+ joint sponsorship opportunities
Return on Investment
- Brand reputation and image
- Meeting social sustainability objectives
- Engagement with target communities
- Tax deductible donation
Fix the Fells
The increasing popularity and use of the fells for a range of recreational activities, coupled with the impacts of the Cumbrian weather, is leading to continued erosion of the fell paths. Internationally and nationally critical areas are losing rare habitats to erosion, peat bodies are being degraded and sediment is deposited in otherwise clean lakes and rivers. This harms the scenery and wildlife and can potentially impact local communities and the tourist economy.
Intervention
As a conservation programme, Fix the Fells works to repair eroded paths to protect the landscape and biodiversity. This is done in traditional and sustainable ways which have the least impact on the natural environment. The programme takes account of all fell users when designing path repairs.
Investment needed:
£250 – £100,000
Impact
- Continued protection of the Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site;
- Protected Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the Lake District
- More resilient paths in the Lake District fells
- Reduced erosion and damage to the upland paths
- Protected fragile landscapes, peatlands and water habitats and species
- Retained soil, gravel, stone, and peat in the uplands
- Carbon storage in upland vegetation and soil
- Increased resilience of the fells to increasing visitor numbers
Return on investment
- Meet CSR/ESG objectives
- Brand reputation and image
- Tourism and recreation enhancement – supporting the Lake District tourism economy
- Tax deductible donation