A Kendal-based charity recently benefited from a £1,090 donation raised by a bakery in the town.

Growing Well, which operates at Low Sizergh Farm, near Kendal, and also at Westmorland Services, near Tebay, has witnessed an increased demand for its services in the past few years.

The charity's horticultural enterprise and veg box scheme help individuals acquire new skills, reconnect with nature, build confidence and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

However, support for the charity remains limited, which is why Lovingly Artisan Bakery committed to raising funds to support them throughout 2023.

The bakery's co-owners, Aidan and Catherine, and their team organised a series of talks and bakery masterclasses, delivering to Women's Institute groups across the county.

They also ran a weekend of bakery masterclasses at Rheged.

Catherine Connor, co-owner of Lovingly Artisan Bakery said: "We want to thank our wonderful customers for helping support our chosen charity of 2023, Growing Well.

"We couldn't have raised this amount of money without their generous support, and we want to thank them for helping us raise funds for this wonderful charity and the work it does with our local communities.

"Sadly, many more of us will inevitably need the support of organisations like Growing Well in the years ahead, which is why they deserve our full support to help them to continue to deliver the assistance they do."

Growing Well manager, Sinead McCann, said: "We are so delighted and grateful for the effort that has gone into raising funds for Growing Well.

"The relationship we share with Lovingly Artisan and their customers is really important to us.

"We love what they are about, there are so many parallels between us including our shared values, and we hope that we can continue to strengthen and build on that synergy for the future and see what we might be able to do together in the future."