Approved charities

We are a group of parents and school staff who raise money to pay for resources and equipment to enrich pupils' lives.

Friends of Vickerstown aims to enhance the time pupils spend at Vickerstown School, and to support the staff, by helping to provide the best facilities and equipment (e.g. IT, SEN, learning resources) for the education of the children.

We put on treats and activities for every child to enjoy and aim to make school the best experience it can be for everyone.

We are a competitive amateur swimming club; coaching & teaching swimming to children & adults from the age of 7 upwards.

We are a badminton club giving support and coaching to young people.

We are a Brownie Unit which is part of Girl Guiding UK. The girls follow the Guiding programme for their section and work on topics covering You, Community and World.
The girls also work towards gaining badges

Cricket team playing in the northlancs cricket league

Furness Creatives aims are to engage with the Barrow community in their creative pursuits. To establish community art space with a relaxed and friendly working group of mixed ability artists to encourage the study, practice, and development of the arts. With creative’s working on a basis of mutual self-help, with special emphasis given to the encouragement of beginners by the more experienced members.

The kitchen was set up in 2015 to provide a hot meal once a week for those who had been sanctioned and benefit stopped. This has now become a place for a meal and a chat 4 days a week still offering a free 3 course meal on a sunday. The centre promotes social inclusion and community spirit with many activities planned for the future for all ages.

Community school

We are a constituted community group raising funds to renew our local playground for our children and our entire community.

A Charter Standard Club we have teams from age 5 to 16, with 120 children. We have 2 Senior and 9 Mini and Junior Teams.
We endeavour to provide a safe, friendly, caring and supportive environment.
Your support would help us provide team equipment, indoor training facilities in winter, first aid and football kits.
It would also help us with the many other costs associated with running a football club.

We are a new entity as a result of the merging of Dalton Methodist Church and Dalton URC. We are committed to work in and for the Community and make our premises widely available to Community Groups

PAVE is a service which provides support and opportunities to vulnerable adults within the community.
Many of the people they support have multiple disabilities and would not be able to access the activities which are provided on their own.
This service gives people the chance to have experiences in the community and this breaks down isolation and social barriers.

We are a group of volunteers who manage & run the A590 Theatre Group which is based in Hindpool Barrow. We cater for the age group 7 to late 20s with many of our members coming from under privileged backgrounds, a number having disabilities both physical & mental, we currently have 60 members. Beside drama and the arts we teach them life skills such as teamwork, listening, communicating etc.

Local dance school ran entirely by volunteers. Competition outfits and transport to competitions which take place all over the country costs each dancer a considerable amount of money. We therefore constantly fundraise as much as possible in order to keep the costs down. It is most disappointing when a child has to give up a hobby they love due to financial straint.

We .are a volunteer group in Coniston who raise money to light up the village at Christmas. We also provide a free party for all children in the area with Father Christmas, reindeers and entertainment

Money raised is split between asthma uk and local youth groups,including swarthmoor jfc

We are a small community primary school situated between between Lindal Village and Marton Village.

We're a small village club what trains every Monday's and Wednesdays teaching Wado kai style of karate. We aim to keep kids off the streets,give them a new hobby,to learn discipline, to build confidence and to make friends. Also we to aim to teach them how to defended themselves on the streets if the time is needed.

We are a small village school with parents interested in raising money to support the school. We are raising money for a variety of resources to use throughout the school.

We are a group for Carers of people suffering from serious Mental Health illness. e.g.: Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar and Severe Depression. The group is led by two ex Mental Health Workers. We hold Monthly meetings to disseminate information and support one another. When funds allow we hold a bar snack or a short trip for respite.

A Skye Full Of Stars is a charity set up in memory of Skye Olivia Mitchell who died in a car accident in 2017. The charity raises money to give back to young people in the local area of Millom to support them to further their dreams and ambitions. So far we have donated over £3500 to help young people take part in a number of activities including representing the country in sporting and music events. Skye was an ambitious and enthusiastic person who was not going to let being from a rural Cumbrian town stop her from achieving her dreams, sadly her life was cut short as she died when she was only 18. This charity allows us to support more young people to have the opportunities that she has missed out on.

South Cumbria Pupil Referral Unit is a school providing education for some of the most complex and vulnerable students in the County.

Millom National Children's Choir of Great Britain Group has been created to help 8 local families raise funds so their talented children can attend the prestigious Choir of Great Britain events.

Here is their story told by Head Teacher of Millom St James RC School Nerissa Nicholas.

This group of eight children are all pupils, or former pupils, at my school and have sung with me in my school choir since they were 5 years old. They are really exceptionally talented children and an absolute pleasure to work with. They have performed with me in the South Cumbria Music Festival every year and won numerous trophies, both as individuals and as a choir. They also perform throughout the year at numerous concerts and fundraising events for charities and groups in the town. They bring a huge amount of pleasure to many people.

They attended auditions in Manchester to join the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain. They were all successful in being offered places in this prestigious choir and this now gives them the opportunity to work with the very best choral teachers and conductors in the country as well as singing with other talented children from all over the country. This is a huge achievement for them and such a wonderful opportunity. I was personally contacted by the organiser of the committee to tell me how impressed the audition panel had been with the group and how unusual it was to have seven children accepted all from one school!

However, the expectation is that they will now attend two residential weeks in Shrewsbury at a cost of £655 per child per week, a total of £1310 per child and an overall cost of £10,480 for the full group without the additional cost of travel to and from Shrewsbury and Birmingham, which from our isolated area will be quite a cost on its own!

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that all of them will be able to take part unless we are able to secure some help with the financial aspect and this would be such a shame!

Enabling these children to take part in this National choir would help to show them and other children in the local area that they can achieve their goals and hopefully help to raise aspirations for the future.

The concept of The Porthole is to provide a Music and Arts and Community Venue environment for community groups, groups of isolated older people, groups of vulnerable young people and Youth Clubs with a Drop-in Cafe with affordable meals and place to meet up.

The inspiring public spaces on offer where community groups can take place will be used to reduce isolation and loneliness and encourage greater community participation.

One of our objectives is to help secure the future of the building for the enjoyment of the community of Barrow Island and the wider Furness area.

The Friends of Chapel Street Infants and Nursery is group of parents and people from the local community who raise money for resources for our infants who are aged 3-7 in Dalton. There are presently 137 children on roll.

The Circles Group is a club that is run for a selection of our more socially vulnerable SEN students on a Tuesday night after school. The aim of Circles is to build confidence and self-esteem within the student and to challenge them to cope with new social situations, with support. This allows them to develop strategies and understanding of how to deal and live in the wider community and move forward in their day to day lives.

Some of the activities that we do with the students include visits to a local coffee shops, the cinema, Conishead Priory and Ford Park. In school we do Yoga with a local instructor, craft and cooking activities, Sign Language, team sport activities and lots more.

At the end of the summer term we finish the year with a one night residential at a local Outdoor Residential Educational centre. This visit allows the students to be involved in activities which involve teambuilding interaction and trying new opportunities to build their own self esteem in a safe and secure environment suited to their individual needs.

SHINE for Autism is a community led initiative driven by dedicated local parents, carers and professionals.  Our main aim is to create an autism friendly community by developing knowledge and understanding of autism, leading to unconditional acceptance and integration in our community. We hope to achieve this by:

- Providing resources, support and information for individuals with autistic spectrum disorder and their parents/carers.

- Providing the opportunity for parents/carers to meet in order to develop a mutual support network and enable sharing of skills, experience and knowledge within the group.

- Organising recreation facilities and opportunities for individuals with autistic spectrum disorder to develop social networks, friendships, peer groups and self-esteem.

- Providing workshops, online forums and 1:1 support for parents/carers to gain knowledge and strategies to enable them to support individuals with autistic spectrum disorder.

- Raising public awareness of the issues affecting individuals with autistic spectrum disorder and their parents/carers both generally and in relation to their social exclusion through fundraising and public training/awareness.

- Providing small grants to local schools/individuals to provide support/equipment for autistic individuals.

Sisterhood is an ecumenical ladies group which meets fortnightly, at Duddon Road Methodist Church, Askam-in-Furness. The members are aged from 60+ to 90. The Sisterhood committee also runs a chair based exercise. The exercise class is led by a qualified instructor, and meets weekly to encourage members to keep active - by gentle exercises to music

Supports young children with Type 1 diabetes and their families. Organises actvities to bring families together so they realise they are not alone in dealing with their condition.

We provide free first aid course to the local community. We also provide first aid cover at local events, galas etc.

Ulverston Tri Club is a triathlon based in Ulverston offering triathlon training sessions and events to all abilities at locations in Ulverston and Barrow.

Bluebirds Trust works to support disadvantaged groups in the local community and connect them through Barrow AFC. For example, we raise funds to provide match tickets for people who otherwise may not be able to afford attend a match. In the last few years this has extended to over a thousand people in the Furness Area. Organisations supported have included The Well Project, Furness Carers, Love Barrow, families whose children attend local primary schools.

In the urban heart of Ulverston, you will find Ford Park – 8 acres of beautiful green space with playing fields, playpark, a café, walled garden and volunteer programme.The result of an incredible level of effort and dedication from the Ford Park Community Group – a registered charity initially set up in 1998 to secure the future of the park for the local community.
Following a council announcement to sell Ford Park, the charity came together to rent the land and develop plans for its restoration, before eventually securing a loan from the Architectural Heritage Fund to buy Ford Park from the council in 2005.We are now debt free, working to secure a sustainable future – and continuing to offer so much more than just a park.

Cadas was established in 1980 and is a well-respected and registered charity. We have helped thousands of people and their families over the last 38 years offering holistic and strengths based approaches supporting individuals in recovery. Our approach is underpinned by the Asset-Based Community Development Model (ABCD). Our core service comprises of individual and group support, volunteering, peer mentoring and mutual aid via peer led support groups, programmes and workshops of educative and preventative initiatives.
Cadas offers a range of support primarily delivered by trained volunteers to enable people in recovery improve their emotional, physical and mental health.

Drop Zone Youth Projects works with young people across the Furness area to realise their aspirations. We provide support, guidance and advice on all issues which affect young people.

Bliss is the UK’s leading charity for babies born premature or sick.

Bliss champions the right for every baby born premature or sick to receive the best care. We achieve this by empowering families, influencing policy and practice, and enabling life-changing research.

Who we are
At Derian House we feel privileged to be counted as the friends of the many families we have cared for and supported since the hospice opened, as well as those to whom we continue to offer ongoing support. We know there will be countless others in the future who will need us to be there for them, to provide not only a high standard of specialist care for their child, but a reassuring framework of emotional support for them as a family.
Our ethos is to ensure that quality of life is enhanced for children and young people with life threatening conditions.
Each child’s condition is different and how each family copes is different. In supporting any child and the family everything is centred around their wishes, which are fully respected at all times.
Far from being a place of sorrow, Derian House is a place of love, laughter and respect. Everyone visiting remarks on the happy, welcoming atmosphere, and even at the worst time in their lives, parents speak of their gratitude for the safe haven that is Derian House.
In looking back over the past twenty three years, and all that has been achieved, we also look forward to the future and the fresh challenges it will bring. Whatever those challenges may be, we will continue to do our utmost in striving to meet the highest standards of care, and the needs of the many families who depend on Derian House for the care and support it provides for them and their children.

Eden Valley Hospice cares for adults from the Cumbria and South West Scotland area with life-limiting illnesses, especially cancer, but also other conditions such as motor neurone disease, muscular dystrophy, heart failure, chronic lung diseases, renal failure, multiple sclerosis and chronic neurological conditions. We strive to provide the highest standards of nursing and medical care, to sustain quality of life and dignity and to provide patients with relief from pain when they need it most.

To the families, friends and carers of our patients we extend the same loving support, help and counselling, as such illnesses affect whole families.

The Hospice operates as a 12 bedded adult in-patient unit as well as a day hospice. The Hospice helps its patients enjoy a better quality of life, often enabling them to do things which they thought had gone forever. It is a special place which is full of life, not just a place where people go to die: many benefit from day hospice care and others return home following a period as an in-patient or attend our out-patients clinics.

Adult in-patient services are available to individuals with complex problems associated with a life limiting illness. Our specialist services are delivered by a multi professional team including doctors, nurses, counsellors, social workers, chaplains and therapists. Planned admissions include short term relief for carers and end of life care is supportive and sensitive to the needs of the patient and their loved ones.

The Day Hospice offers supportive care to people with living with a life threatening or life limiting illness. The surroundings are very relaxed and comfortable offering a choice of activities that are centered on wellbeing, companionship and support.

We provide an Outpatient Clinic which runs three times a week. This is an introduction to the palliative care service, symptom control, an alternative to admission, psychological support and a link with the Oncology service.

The Family Support Team is here to help and support our patients, their families and their carers. They can help manage the future challenges and help people feel more resilient and able to face the future with courage. We also offer help with a range of activities, including memory boxes, boxes of hugs and kisses and writing about the future.

Spiritual Care is provided by our chaplaincy team made up of a Chaplain and her team of volunteers. They are available to provide compassionate companionship to patients and families and to be a support in whatever way they may be asked.

Reiki Therapy is available to all Patients and Carers as a gentle therapy to aid relaxation, makes you feel at peace, reduce anxiety, relive stress and help boost the immune system. You start moving toward your unique physical, mental, and spiritual balance, and your body's own healing mechanisms begin to function more effectively.

By its very nature the care and support the Hospice provides is expensive. Raising the ongoing funds to sustain the service is a huge challenge given the geographic/catchment area of the Hospice and population from whom we have to draw funds. In 2015 we provided adult in patient care for 308 patients and 84 patients in day hospice.

The Hospice employs either full or part time 107 staff. In addition to this the Hospice benefits from the help of around 440 active volunteers who are involved in every aspect of the hospices operation. We estimate that we save approximately £400,000 yearly by having volunteers supporting our staff based on full time equivalent roles, but this figure can’t represent the level of commitment, empathy and dedication that we are gifted by each volunteer for the thousands of hours that they offer us year on year.

The Kepplewray Centre is an inclusive residential outdoor activity centre that offers adventure for all. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience outdoor adventure no matter what their ability. We tailor activity sessions to the needs and abilities of the participants and offer accommodation in an accessible building on the edge of The Lake District National Park.

Wildcats is a disability sports group that has been providing inclusive sports and activities for several years. Our current members are aged 4 to 30 and we actively encourage siblings, friends and parents to take part to break down barriers. It's all about fun, learning life skills, making friends and exercising whilst having a good time. We provide all equipment from wheelchairs to table tennis balls. It is solely run by volunteers.

At Brathay we know everyone has the capacity to do extraordinary things that can inspire and benefit others.
This drives our mission to improve the life chances of children, young people and families by inspiring them to engage positively in their communities.

Our charitable achievements are supported by the knowledge in our research hub and revenue from our people and organisation development consultancy along with our enterprising fundraising.
We work throughout the UK to inspire people and organisations to achieve and deliver results from our network of locations across the North of England including our inspiring Lake District base.
Our expert teams engage and encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to discover the Brathay effect, enthused by our belief in the transformational power of people working together.

We are a small local charity which hires wheelchairs and mobility scooters to day hirers and yearly members to promote independence and allow people access to shops doctors etc

We support the work of the Children's Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the Great North Children's Hospital, providing funds for toys, medical equipment, parents support and medical research.

Pennington Nursery has been providing nursery care in the Swarthmoor/Pennington/Ulverston area since 1993, mainly for children under statutory school age. It started off, many years before this as a parent and toddlers group in Pennington Reading Rooms. Over the years, due to increasing need and demand, we became a registered Charity, developed a board of Trustees and also became the provider of breakfast and after school clubs for Pennington Infants and Junior School. On average each week, we look after 20 – 2 year olds, 30 pre-school children and 50 children attending Afterschool and Breakfast Club, different children on different days. We are a vibrant and busy Nursery with great staff and a happy, caring atmosphere for local children and their families.

Little Acorns is a registered charity and is the only playgroup in the Kirkby-in-Furness area providing baby, toddler and pre-school activities for those under five years of age.

2nd Ulverston Scouts is a large and lively group run by volunteers. We provide indoor and outdoor activities, trips, camps and life skills for 6 to 14 year old girls and boys.

The Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness supports the work of St Paul’s Eye Unit. We fund research into new treatments and preventative technologies that can and do change the lives of millions of people around the world, both young and old, who are affected by sight loss.

Our Charity exists to enhance the experience of the 240,000 children cared for by Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital each and every year.

Our aims are very straightforward: to support excellence in the treatment, research and care that we provide to our young patients, now and always. We aim to make a real difference to the children and young people in our care by ensuring they continue to receive the highest quality treatment in the highest quality facilities.

We do this by focusing our fundraising efforts on three key areas, namely treatment, research and care. These can include the purchase of specialist equipment to diagnose and provide treatment of our young patients more quickly and easily, creating as child-friendly an environment as possible and funding pioneering medical research to increase our understanding of children’s illnesses and the optimum way to treat them.

People and organisations from across the country are already active supporters of Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity. Our supporters include thousands of individuals, businesses and community organisations, each making their own unique contribution to make life better for the hospital’s patients and their families.

The PCD Family Support Group was formed in 1991 to:
Provide support to patients and their carers who have, or are suspected of having, Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) - a rare genetic lung disease
Bring PCD to the attention of medics who may come across PCD and continue to provide an up to date information service for them and the general public
To promote research to aid diagnosis and treatment of patients with PCD
Support the NHS and other bodies to ensure patients have access to diagnostic services and on-going care
Fundraise to support the above activities

We are a registered charity which is run by a committee of volunteer trustees. We are also supported by the PCD Medical Board which is a group of clinicians with an interest in PCD. This group is chaired on a rotational basis by Professor Andy Bush, Professor Chris O’Callaghan , Professor Claire Hogg and Professor Jane Lucas.

Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) is the UK charity that supports those affected by conditions that can cause young sudden cardiac death. CRY provides bereavement support and funds fast -track expert pathology investigations at the CRY Centre for Cardiac Pathology. CRY raises awareness of signs and symptoms of cardiac conditions and supports young people diagnosed with life-threatening conditions through the myheart Network. CRY funds medical research and operates a nationwide cardiac screening programme for any person between the age of 14 and 35. CRY funds fast -track expert medical services at the CRY Centre for Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions and Sports Cardiology.

We are the registered charity for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We aim to enrich the care and treatment provided to our patients. This is done by nurturing the delivery of the latest technology, the most effective staff training and development and the highest standard of care

Barrow & Districts Society for the Blind is the lead provider of support for visually impaired people in the South West area of Cumbria. It has operated since 1923 and runs a successful residential home, the Vision Support Centre and sustainably provides home visits within the community.

Anchor Trust Seymour Court provides sheltered retirement housing in Barrow in Furness, and supports residents in leading a more active independent living with social activities.

11th Barrow Scout Group, with over 50 children, comprising of Beavers, Cubs & Scouts of ages 6 - 15, and adult leaders.

The charity grants wishes for children with life threatening and terminal illnesses. These range from family holidays, meeting celebrities, and of course, seeing the real Santa!

We are a group of parents, school staff and school friends who raise money to pay for outings or resources to enrich pupils' lives either in school or during after school activities. The money raised ensures that costs to parents are kept to an affordable level and also we can provide school with resources that they are not able to afford from their very tight education budgets.

Suicide is the biggest killer of young people – male and female – under 35 in the UK. In 2016, 1,666 young people took their own lives. That equates to over four per day. Every year many thousands more attempt or contemplate suicide, harm themselves or suffer alone, afraid to speak openly about how they are feeling.
PAPYRUS is the national charity for the prevention of young suicide.
We draw from the experience of many who have been touched personally by young suicide across the UK and speak on their behalf in our campaigns and in our endeavours to save young lives. Together we believe that with appropriate support and education, many young suicides can be prevented.
We deliver awareness and prevention training, provide confidential support and suicide intervention through HOPELineUK, campaign and influence national policy, and empower young people to lead suicide prevention activities in their own communities.
Here are some of our core beliefs:
PAPYRUS believes that many young suicides are preventable
PAPYRUS believes that no young person should suffer alone with thoughts or feelings of hopelessness
PAPYRUS believes that no one should have to go through the heartbreak of losing a loved one to suicide
PAPYRUS believes that everyone can play a role in preventing young suicide

We provide horse-riding opportunities to disabled children in the Furness area. We are based at Seaview Riding School on Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness and offer riding to 18 children each Wednesday morning from 2 special schools and 4 mainstream schools during school term time (24 sessions per annum). We also offer riding to an additional 18 children on a Thursday evening when they come along with their parents/guardians, but because of the dark nights and cold weather we are only able to offer 18 sessions per annum. We also take 5 riders from either George Hastwell or Sandside Special Schools each year to the Clwyd Special Riding Centre in Northern Wales for a 5 day holiday.

A huge thank you for choosing to raise money for your North West Air Ambulance Charity.

In a split second unexpected things can happen that will change your life forever. It is in these moments that our crew of pilots and HEMS paramedics and doctors will be at the right place at the right time delivering vital pre-hospital care to the patient, reducing the risk of long term injury and saving lives.

Just as many critically injured patients would not survive without the service, your North West Air Ambulance Charity would not be here without you.

Our lifesaving service is funded by the generosity of people like you through donations, fundraising activity, lottery membership and through our network of retail outlets.

As a charity we need to raise more than £8 million each year to stay operational.
• £9 could fund one minute of a North West Air Ambulance mission.
• £250 could supply a primary response bag that carries the drugs and medical equipment our medical team needs to treat patients in major trauma incidents.
• £2000 could fund a year's supply of foil medical blankets, designed to retain body heat for patients in shock.
• £13,500 could fuel one of our aircraft for a month.

Welcome to Team NWAA, together we can make a lifesaving difference to people across the North West.

DCA is dedicated to provide services to the community of Dalton and the surrounding areas .These services are provided in Dalton Community Centre , DCA raises funds to maintain and run the centre . Groups that use the Centre include Age Uk, Dalton Youth , and Jack & Jill Playgroup. It is the only community venue in Dalton area capable of housing all these groups

Our vision
Everyone who needs it should receive first aid from those around them. No one should suffer for the lack of trained first aiders.
Our mission:
Is to:
• provide an effective and efficient charitable first aid service to local communities
• provide training and products to satisfy first aid and related health and safety needs for all of society
• encourage personal development for people of all ages, through training and by volunteering within our organisation.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-shortening genetic condition that slowly destroys the lungs and digestive system. The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the only UK-wide charity fighting for a life unlimited, when everyone living with CF can look forward to a long, healthy life. www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk

Citizens Advice Copeland - The aim of our service is to provide the advice and support people need to deal with the problems they face. We are an independent charity who provide a free, independent and confidential service across the borough of Copeland. A team of 12 paid staff and 40 volunteers deliver advice services on issues including debt, welfare benefits, housing, employment, energy, relationship and family problems.

Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.

Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. We’ve already saved millions of lives by discovering new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
Every year more people in the UK die from cancer than any other disease and sadly, 1 in 2 people develop cancer at some point in their lives.
Over the last forty years survival rates have doubled, which means two in four people are living for 10 years or more after being diagnosed. We hope to accelerate progress and see three quarters of patients surviving 10 years or more in the next 20 years.
We take our learning’s from the lab right to the patient’s bedside and work to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer – so at Cancer Research UK we really are tackling cancer on every front. What’s more, we are the only charity with the knowledge and expertise to tackle all 200 types of cancer.

Brake has been operating for over 20 year to help stop road deaths.

Providing humanitarian aid to the Antonio Orphanage in Romania.

Citizens Advice Allerdale provide free, independent, impartial and confidential advice on a wide range of areas including debt, benefits, employment, housing, relationships, consumer issues and many other problems.

We are an independent charity and part of the Citizens Advice network across England and Wales.

We are made up of a number of paid staff and volunteers and between us we are able to fulfil our aims and principles, which are:

To ensure that individuals do not suffer through lack of knowledge on their rights and responsibilities or of the services available to them, or through an inability to express their needs effectively.

And equally to exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services both locally and nationally.

Mountain search and rescue team covering south west Cumbria; including, mountains, fells, rural, urban and coastal (shore side only) areas; 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

Epilepsy Research UK supports ground-breaking independent research into the causes, treatment and prevention of epilepsy to help transform the lives of the 1 in 103 people living with epilepsy in the UK today.

Alkaptonuria, also known as AKU or Black Bone Disease, is an extremely rare genetic condition, which can cause significant damage to the bones, cartilage and tissues of those affected. AKU normally only affects one in every 250,000 people worldwide. AKU is a recessive condition that is caused by a mutation of one chromosome, this means that if two people carry the faulty gene, their child still only has a 25% chance of developing AKU.

It causes a build-up of toxic acid in the body that eats away at the patient's bones, cartilage and tissue, turning them black and brittle – a process called ochronosis. This leads to a variety of life-changing disabilities. Patients develop early onset osteoarthritis, which leads to joint replacements and extreme pain.

We fund and promote research with the aim of bringing about treatments and a cure for ataxia by 2020. We want a cure for this generation. Until this is achieved, we will do all that we can to provide support services to the families and carers of people with ataxia to enable those with the condition to have the highest possible quality of life.

We save the lives and rehome lost and abandoned dogs due to die in council pounds because they have not been reclaimed by their owners or received any offers from other rescues. We take dogs regardless of age, breed or veterinary condition. We have rescued over 15,000 to date. 100% of donations spent on the dogs, all unpaid volunteers, on call 365 days per year.

We provide facilities and activities for recreational community and leisure occupation in the interest of social welfare for people who have need by reason of their youth, age, or social and economic circumstances, with the object of improving their conditions of life on Walney in Barrow in Furness. To relieve people who are in conditions of hardship, struggling with addictions, family breakdown, youth pressures, or who are aged or sick, to relieve the distress caused

SMA Support UK is the only charity providing emotional and practical support to families and individuals affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy across the UK. We also fund research into treatments and an eventual cure.

We are a Parent Carer Association offering support and advice to other parent carers and financial support to Mill Lane Day Opportunities for over 30 years which is a day service offering a variety of opportunities to adults with moderate to profound learning disabilities. Our financial support has enabled the development of outside activity areas, a soft play area and a sensory room. We also provide support in areas such as funding actors and musicians to perform within the building to allow those with more profound needs to access entertainment within an accessible environment. We aim to offer to provide help, support and advice to parents, carers and adults with learning disabilities within the Furness and wider area.

Special Kids in the UK is a charity for families who have a child of any age with special needs.

Families who have children and young people with special needs often deal with similar challenges. They may have concerns about education, services, therapies, respite and other issues directly related to their child. Special Kids in the UK aim is to bring families together for friendship, to share information and to support one another.

RAISING FUNDS FOR CHRISTIAN YOUTH ACTIVITIES

We support young carers aged 5-18. A young carer supports someone at home who has an illness or disability. The care provided can range from emotional support through to personal care e.g. help with bathing.

Sunbeams is a Community Music Charity in Cumbria for people with disabilities of all ages. The Charity was founded in 1992 by Cumbrian born Harpist and Singer Annie Mawson MBE. Every month Sunbeams delivers over 100 live Community Music sessions in Music For Life® and Music For Dignity® Programmes to 1,458 disabled and disadvantaged people of all ages in 52 different venues across the County of Cumbria and at their new bespoke Centre outside Penrith. Sunbeams is reliant upon donations, fundraising and grants to keep the charity going and in order to provide their services free of charge .

CancerCare is a unique independent charity dedicated to helping families and individuals in North Lancashire and South Cumbria who are affected by cancer and other potentially life-limiting conditions.

Delivered by qualified and experienced staff, CancerCare’s wide range of free professional therapy services are designed to help individuals and their families come to terms with and manage the challenges of a serious health condition. Services include counselling, hypnotherapy, Alexander Technique, aromatherapy massage, group activities, support groups and a Children and Young People’s Service.

With 35 years of experience, CancerCare helped more than 30,000 local people affected by cancer and other life limiting conditions.

CancerCare has three dedicated centres based in Barrow (the Furness Centre at the Trinity Church Centre on Warwick Road), Kendal (The Lakes Centre on Blackhall Road) and in Lancaster (Slynedales on Slyne Road) and also provides outreach services in local hospitals and community outlets including Furness General and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

All CancerCare services are provided free of charge. This is only possible through fundraising and generous donations from local people and businesses.

The Steve Prescott Foundation (SPF) is the legacy of former professional rugby league player Steve Prescott MBE who passed away in 2013. The SPF supports The Christie, The Rugby League Benevolent Fund and The SPF Special causes fund. The SPF fund allows those hospitals, researchers and surgeons who deal in Pseudomyxoma related conditions and multi visceral transplantation to apply for grants to the Trustees of the SPF who will ensure that the money will have a direct and significant effect on people's lives. The donations we receive really do make a difference to people’s lives.

Every year we raise thousands of pounds to support local children who suffer abuse or neglect, are disabled and have special needs or who simply need extra care or guidance. CFM Cash for Kids distribute money to registered charities, to individuals to pay for specialist equipment, to sports organisations and to specialist projects for schools & playgroups; Projects must be for the benefit of young people under the age of 18; who are disabled and have special needs or who come from underprivileged backgrounds.
Every penny raised, stays locally in Cumbria and South West Scotland to help thousands of children in our communities each year.

We're Mind in West Cumbria; your local Mind Charity. We believe that no one should have to face a mental health problem alone. We're on your doorstep, on the end of a phone or online. We'll listen, give you support, advice and fight your corner.

From our office base in Workington, we offer a variety of services to support the local residents suffering from mental health issues.

We work in partnership with the Episcopal Church of South Sudan to provide scholarships to young people so that they can train as clinical officers, nurses, midwives, teachers and pastors. We help fund Primary Health care services and help to improve primary education by constructing new school classrooms.

The Rotary Club of Furness raises money through various fund raising activities, Street /Shop Collections ,Concerts, Raffles ,The Tour d Furness Bike Ride, Marshalling at events , etc, and then distributes it within the community by supporting local charities, projects and other needy causes .As part of a national and international organisation our charity work reaches across the globe

Over 8,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year
in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Effective treatment remains a priority within the NHS but it is expensive and there is little left over for non-essential items and facilities that may make all the difference to a patient's experience of the treatment process.

The Rosemere Cancer Foundation exists to provide those
‘extras’ wherever possible in both the Rosemere Cancer
Centre and the local Cancer Units across the region.

Wherever you live, you can be sure that by supporting
the Rosemere Cancer Foundation you will be helping to make a real difference to cancer patients in your local area.

THE BLUEBELL FOUNDATION
The loss of a pregnancy, death of a baby, infant or child, or the struggle to conceive can have a real impact on the families involved.
The Bluebell Foundation provides support for people experiencing grief associated with loss during pregnancy, death of a baby, child or young person, those with fertility issues and families where a child has life-limiting or life-threatening illness.
We also provide support for children and young people up to the age of 18 who are grieving through the death or anticipated death of someone important to them.
We hope to enable families to begin to understand their grief. We cannot replace the life lost but we can try to help people cope with the loss.
The Bluebell Foundation was formed in 2007 by a group of people who have been through a similar or the same experiences. They felt setting up this charity would help people through such a traumatic time, and help them talk to other people who have suffered the same or similar loss.
Bluebell provide support to families and individuals when they are ready. You do not need to wait a set amount of time. We are available for you when you feel the time is right

The Royal Marines Charity is the Corps Charity. Chosen by Royal Marines and here to support Royal Marines and their families. It has among the widest purposes of any service charity in that it looks after both serving and retired Royal Marines, and their dependents – this converts into some 125,000 potential beneficiaries.

We are a charitable ran nursery and we have been open now for 8 years. Our aim is to provide a high standard of care and education for children aged between 3 months and 10 years. Our nursery is staffed with highly qualified and permitted staff who support the children to meet there full potential though individual planning, based on individual interests and needs. We are trained to support children who have Special Educational Needs including medical needs. We work closely with families and able to offer extra support where needed, for example, parental support, children in need of safeguarding, and for those on a low income we provide places for children who are entitled to the 2 year old educational grant. We continuously strive to develop the nursery further and seek new resources to enhance the nursery environment.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society Furness Group offers completely free of charge therapies to all of it's members living in the Furness area. These therapies are; Physiotherapy, Hydrotherapy, Chiropody, Reflexology and Counselling. We have a 24 hour support line which is manned by volunteers and we run social outigs for those who are less able to get out and about.

At Moorfields Eye Charity, we believe that we can help bring new treatments to patients with eye diseases faster than ever before. By raising funds for the crucial research, education and patient care at Moorfields Eye Hospital and its research partner, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, we are able to help ensure that they remain at the forefront of ophthalmic care and research.

Moorfields Eye Charity is the main fundraising and grant-making charity for Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.

We provide counselling (indoor and outdoor) , peer support (individual and group) and massage for relaxation therapy to anyone who is living with mental health problems.

Narcolepsy is a rare neurological condition that affects the brain's ability to regulate the normal sleep-wake cycle. Narcolepsy is estimated to affect about 1 person in 2,500. That means that in the UK there are approximately 30,000 people who have narcolepsy, though it is believed that the majority have not been diagnosed.

Normal sleep takes the form of a regular pattern of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM stages. During a fully night's sleep, every 90 minutes or so a normal sleeper experiences several minutes of REM sleep, during which dreaming occurs, before switching back to non-REM sleep.