HERE is the weekly column from Andrew Thomas.

It is heartening to see how people in this area are so willing to help good causes.

In last week’s The Westmorland Gazette we read of a group of ten mums from Staveley who challenged themselves to collectively swim 50 times in chilly Lake District waters during December and January to raise funds to refurbish the village’s playground.

The surface and most of the equipment in the playground are in need of attention and it was closed in October last year due to safety concerns. Village residents need at least £120,000 to complete the works.

The swimming challenge raised £1,620 and enough money has been accumulated through a combination of donations from businesses, community events and grants to start phase one of the refurbishments.

Meanwhile residents at Mill Gardens in Kirkby Stephen have raised £500 for Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team.

Town residents Eunice Trusler and Joyce Fothergill have volunteered and dedicated their Wednesdays to making a lunch for residents at Mill Gardens. The residents pay a small fee for the two-course meal and decided any money left over would be donated to a local charity.

At Troutbeck Bridge those attending performances of The Lakes Players’ Jack and the Beanstalk raised hundreds of pounds for the Kendal-based Carer Support South Lakes charity.

More than £800 was raised after performers held collections in the foyer of the Lakes School Theatre after each show. The money will go to unpaid carers to support them in their caring roles.

And well done to Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron, who completed his challenge to run every day in January for a local charity.

The MP ran more than 184 miles to raise more than £6,300 for Wave Forward, which supports people aged 12 to 25 in south Cumbria to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

And his social media posts gave a fascinating glimpse into his musical tastes as he revealed each day which bands he had been listening to during the run!

All these efforts go to show that if things need doing in this area there are generous people who will get them done.