Two South Lakeland charitable organisations are among 58 Cumbrian community groups to receive thousands of pounds to continue their important work.

Grants totalling £393,500 have been administered by Cumbria Community Foundation, with funds coming from several businesses and organisations.

Heron Corn Mill in Beetham is a Grade ll listed building situated on the banks of the River Bela and is one of the few working mills left in Cumbria.

The re-developed barn is used as an educational and arts resource and a building for community hire.

It received £4,963 from the Pappagallino Fund to continue its activities programme.

Creative Project Manager Audrey Steel said: “Our adapted programme in response to COVID-19 enables all our resident and community groups to stay engaged with us, whether this is through online resources, video meetings, or as with the elderly group, Powsowdie, a box delivered every month containing activities, resources and freshly prepared food, all to a theme, to gather memories and responses.

"Powsowdie is normally held at the Mill and is a reminiscence project.

"It is currently going out as a ‘boxed’ offering to isolated elderly or disabled people in the area.”

One elderly member said: “When my box arrived I was wondering what I could eat for tea – and this was taken care of by the wonderful tea provided.

"As I blew the bubbles I found in the box, I was reminded of me and my sister blowing bubbles in the garden many years ago. Thank you for the sweets – I haven’t tasted sherbet in years.”

Kent Estuary Youth (KEY) works with young people in Arnside, Levens and Milnthorpe.

It received £3,000 from the Cumbria Young People’s Fund to sustain and extend the range of youth work on offer.

Trustee Greg Tagney said: “We believe in young people having a strong voice in their activities and in how KEY develops its work. We run a number of youth activities; youth club, youth cafe, schools alternative curriculum support, projects such as Random Acts of Kindness, summer holiday activities, intergenerational work and community projects in which the young people lead their own input with the support of our staff.”

Ellen Clements, grants and donor services officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “There are many worthy organisations around the county that hold communities together and continue to support the needs of local people.

"We are ever grateful to the generosity of our fundholders to enable us to support these vital services, especially during times when local services are under pressure and struggling to meet local needs.”