FUNDING towards the cost of travel for Lakes patients attending hospital appointments will continue into 2020, thanks to two local grants. 

The initial funding was running low in the weeks before Christmas, however the area’s Community Wellbeing Group has secured additional funding with generous contributions from both Ambleside and Ambleside/Kirkstone Rotary Clubs as well as from Lakes Parish Council and the Agnes Backhouse Charitable Trust.

Despite this the organisers are still looking for more funding, and anyone who has any fund-raising ideas is asked to get in touch with Ambleside Parish Centre, whose staff administer the fund.  The scheme has helped a total of 57 patients so far towards travel costs to hospital appointments, with grants of £15 to Kendal, £30 to Lancaster and Morecambe, £40 to Barrow, £45 to Preston and £50 for appointments in Manchester, with a limit of one grant per person per month.

The scheme originated in 2018 when the Community Wellbeing Group for Central Lakes did some research into what the communities in and around Ambleside thought was needed to be healthy and happy.  Overwhelmingly the responses asked for help towards the costs of travelling to get medical treatment.  A limited amount of funding became available through Community Wellbeing to help as many people as possible, and the scheme is separate to the North West Ambulance Service and the NHS means-tested Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.

To qualify, patients must live in Ambleside, Brathay, Coniston, Elterwater, Langdales, Skelwith Bridge, Troutbeck or Grasmere, and can apply regardless of age or income.  All applicants must be over 18, but parents and carers may apply for those they care for.  Applicants are required to bring the letter confirming the medical appointment, plus their postcode, age and gender identity, as well as bank account number and sort code if possible so that a BACs payment can be made direct to a bank account.  Apply to Ambleside Parish Centre, Vicarage Road, Ambleside LA22 9DH, email admin@amblesidepc.org.uk or ring 015394 34172.  There will also be a community fundraiser for the scheme, and volunteers who would like to get involved can come along to Volunteers Week, January 27-31 at the Parish Centre between 11-1pm.  THEFT was the commonest crime in Ambleside, Grasmere and Langdale between October and the end of November, police reported.

A total of 25 crimes were recorded, including 13 thefts, three of criminal damage, four assaults all resulting in arrests, one of fraud involving forged banknotes, one of affray, one of harassment, one drunk and disorderly and possession of drugs, and one of public order.  Police have also warned residents to ensure all sheds, outbuildings and garages are secured and all vehicle keys are kept in a secure place.  The reminder follows a spate of rural theft, particularly machinery and tools.  AMBLESIDE Natural History Society is holding its AGM and a Jacobs Join supper today (Thursday, January 23) at Ambleside Parish Centre at 7pm, followed by a presentation of members’ best natural history photographs taken during 2019.

LAKES Parish Council has a vacancy for a parish councillor to represent the Ambleside ward of the Parish Council.

Preferably this should be someone from that part of the parish community, but all applications for co-option from electors of the Parish will be considered.  For an informal discussion please call the clerk, Michael Johnson, on 015394 31656 or contact via email to lakesparishclerk@yahoo.co.uk or apply in writing to Michael Johnson, Clerk to the Council, First Floor, Ambleside Library, Kelsick Road, Ambleside LA22 0BZ.

MANY visitors praised Ambleside’s festive shop windows over Christmas and New Year saying they helped to create a special atmosphere round the town.  They also attracted plenty of voters in Ambleside’s best shop window competition with a total of 584 votes cast, which was almost twice as many as the previous record.  The winning shop was Detail in Market Place, who won for the third year running with 217 votes.  In second place was Mr H’s Tearoom on Lake Road with 97 votes and third was Cherrydidi in Central Buildings, with 47 votes.  Of all those who voted for Detail, two people have been chosen at random as winners and they are Jane Williamson of Windermere and Eileen Kenna of Marple, Stockport.  Both have received a £20 voucher to spend at any one of the competition’s participating shops.

The organisers, Richard Attenborough and Liesel Williams of Fresher’s Café reported that that 46 per cent of all the votes were cast via the Christmas Lights website, 37 per cent via the QR code on display in each of the shop windows and 17 per cent via the Christmas Lights Facebook page.  They thanked all concerned for their support including the participating shops and the hundreds of people who voted after seeing the festive windows.