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Real Hedge Fund

A safe home for small animals and birds
A marvellous carbon capture contraption
A protective barrier for waterways
A wildlife highway

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Since 2021, Lake District Foundation has given out grants of over £25,000, which has contributed to the planting of over 1,000 metres of hedgerows. Read about the projects here. Let’s keep going.

Our 2023 Christmas campaign raised another £1825 for the Real hedge Fund.

The Real Hedge Fund will reopen for grant applications in June 2024.

What’s so great about hedges?

Hedges improve biodiversity, store carbon and ensure soils remain healthy

Hedges provide habitats for dormouse, barn owls, bats and many species of birds.

Hedges reduce the impact of drought and flooding, including the problem of water run-off

Why do hedgerows need our help?

Every year, nearly 6,000 miles of hedges have been completely uprooted with less than 1,200 miles of new ones planted

Hedges act as wildlife corridors between different habitats. Loss of hedges means loss of mammals, birds, and insect species.

Hedgerows maintain clean water by reducing the amount of fertiliser, pesticides and sediment reaching rivers and lakes

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Make a donation or give a hedge as a gift.

 

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Gift Aid It!Add 25% more to your donation at no cost to you. A Gift Aid declaration allows Lake District Foundation to claim tax back on eligible donations. It means that for every £1 you donate to Lake District Foundation we can claim back 25p, at no extra cost to you.

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By ticking the "Yes" box, I agree I would like Lake District Foundation to reclaim the tax on all qualifying donations I have made, as well as any future donations, until I notify them otherwise. I understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year I may be asked to pay any difference. I understand that Lake District Foundation will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

What is Gift Aid?

Gift Aid does not cost you a penny more, but can add an additional 25p to every £1 you donate. When Lake District Foundation receives a donation from a UK taxpayer, we're entitled to claim an amount of tax (calculated at the basic rate of income tax in that year) paid on that donation. Once you have given your permission for us to do this on your behalf, there is no need for you to do anything else.

All that is required is that you must be a taxpayer and that would have paid or will pay sufficient Income and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover all the Gift Aid claimed on all your donations in that tax year. Please note that it is your responsibility to pay any difference.

The amount of tax we claim will be 25% of the total value of your donations in that tax year. Furthermore, if you are a higher taxpayer, you are also entitled to claim the difference between the basic rate which we will claim and the amount of tax you have actually paid. For further details on how you can do this, please contact your tax office. If your tax situation changes and your gifts will no longer be eligible for the Gift Aid scheme please contact us and we will amend your record accordingly.

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Donation Total: £25.00 One Time

Where does your money go?

It costs around £25 to plant and protect each new metre of hedgerow, using saplings and fencing.

We are working with our partners The Federation for Common Land, Ullswater CIC , Food, Farming and Countryside Commission and The Lake District National Park.

We want to showcase good practice would enable and encourage others to participate snowballing the length and quality of hedgerows throughout Cumbria.

The story so far…

Before the Real Hedge Fund was set up in 2021, hedgerows had been in drastic decline around the UK and Cumbria. At the same time there was a growing interest from local businesses and individuals to support grass-roots biodiversity projects.

We set an initial target to raise £25,000, equating to 1,000m of hedgerow planted, restored and maintained. Within a few months, we were able to open the fund to the first round of applications from landowners. Using an expert panel, we assessed each application and distributed funds to sites where the planting and restoration of hedgerows would have the most impact on biodiversity.

Within 18 months, we reached our fundraising target and funds were awarded to 19 landowners for hedge creation, maintenance and restoration and included farmers, schools and volunteer groups. So far we’ve invested in around 983m of new native hedgerows planted. And it’s not just new hedges that are important, as a direct result of this campaign we’ve prevented the neglect, damage and removal of existing hedges.

The new and restored hedgerows are thriving, and the next step is to monitor the cascading effects on wildlife, carbon and water.

Partners and stakeholders

As the Lead Partner we are working with Ullswater CIC , Food, Farming and Countryside Commission , Eden Rivers Trust , Cumbria Wildlife Trust and The Lake District National Park

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