They provide a safe, supportive, working environment for their volunteer participants to nurture long term mental health recovery, through meaningful physical activity and personal development opportunities. The people they work with are from all backgrounds across South Lakeland and North Lancashire, including Carnforth, Lancaster and Morecambe who attend weekly to be supported in their recovery from mental ill health. All the fruits and vegetables grown on the farm are distributed via an organic veg box scheme, or grown to order for a number of local retailers which helps support the charity.
It was started in 2004 and currently has 28 members and is run and supported by a dedicated group of adults who all volunteer their time and input free of charge. They provide an opportunity for every child whatever their circumstances and abilities to participate in a theatrical production on a professional stage. They also assist low income families where a child may be unable to join Stagestruck due to financial constraints. Their aim is to provide theatrical and drama experience in a non-pressured, nuturing, fun environment. Rehearsals are from September to March. The performance itself includes acting, singing and dancing providing a platform for everyone to get involved regardless of their skill level. Most importantly, its great fun, every child has a part however big or small. They all have an opportunity to shine and according to fundraiser Karen - they positively glow!
At this time of year, with inclement weather and rain at any given moment, it's important to keep them dry in order to maintain their interest in the game as well as keeping them engaged in sport in general.
They aim to hold a charity concert twice per year, with 'profits' going to local 'good causes'. - which have recently included Carnforth Salvation Army, Carnforth Community Swimming pool, Arnside homes for Ukraine and more. It is said that singing, in a choir, is great for wellbeing, friendship and positive mental health. They told us that they have had to beg and borrow PA equipment for their events previously, but recently had an opportunity to buy an amplifier, speaker and microphone set up second hand for £150. They thought it was too good to miss, so approached us for a grant, which we were more than happy to help with, as they have supported so many other groups locally with their fundraising. This should allow them to be heard more!
With a growing female section they approached the 3R Foundation to say that they would love to provide more training and playing equipment for them. Specifically they wanted 4 cricket bats and some more balls. No sooner said than done, we were happy to help!
Home to over 60 community groups, CICs and charities and with 107 volunteers, the Gregson is Lancaster's only community led arts and community centre and cafe bar (which is open daily). It was saved from closure after lockdown by the local community, so that now all the income made is invested back into the centre and the community, which is something that the 3R Foundation is also very keen on. In 2023 the Gregson held 2,351 events. Of these, 219 were Arts and Crafts sessions, 390 were social events or parties, and 125 were children's activities. The vast majority of these required trestle tables. So when we got a grant application to replace their old and worn out folding tables, that are used by so many people, we were delighted to be able to help.
We went along on the opening day on 26 March and could see straight away the potential of the new building and the enthusiasm of everyone there in support of our local ex-services folk. The new hub is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am - 4pm for a game of pool, darts, dominoes, cards, Boccia or to simply grab a book and a cup of tea.
They provide immersive, outdoor, educational packages for children and young people focusing on mental wellbeing, building self esteem and confidence. During the school holidays they provide Free funded spaces for children and young people from lower income/deprived households in their holiday clubs. They also work on behalf of Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape (formally known as AONB) creating and delivering sustainability educational programs to local schools. Caroline from Larksfoot told us "The children have been loving the sand, it's made a huge difference to their play and creativity, it's a real social area that is being used all the time now. The trolly has also made a huge difference for staff and children to get all our gear up and down into the main woods. We can't thank you enough".
and was started after COVID restrictions had given everyone greater appreciation of isolation and loneliness, and a realisation that for a lot of the members of the community, their lives were in permanent lockdown, with many older residents not seeing or speaking to anyone for days or weeks at a time. Local people can request a blank card and some brief instructions to create a handmade card with a short message that can be posted in a special letter box located at the Halton community centre. The cards are delivered every month by hand, with a friendly chat on the doorstep, to a recipient in the village who may be experiencing loneliness or isolation, to provide them with a sense of connection to the wider community. Anyone can be nominated. To mark the end of each campaign, there is a 'big get together' at the community centre. This gives the recipients a chance to meet the card creators, ad maybe form relationships and that much needed human connection. Campaign organiser Sam Pritchard posted this after the event: "WHAT CAN I SAY, OTHER THAN WOW! For anyone unable to join us yesterday, it’s actually quite difficult to put into words what an experience it was. An entire community have been involved in this campaign, and an entire community came! The main hall was absolutely PACKED! It was estimated that 200 people joined us throughout the course of the afternoon. The room was FULL of smiling faces. The biggest surprise was the sheer number of recipients that attended. For many, it’s not just a case of ‘turning up’, there are obstacles and challenges to overcome, just to be there. The youngest attendee was 1 and the oldest 97 - never have I seen a larger and truer representation of a community enjoying the same space".
At their Dorrington Road Allotment Project in Lancaster, Growing with Headway, is where their members can meet and contribute to growing fruit, veg and flowers. Learn about healthy eating, develop new friendships and build on their confidence and self esteem. The allotment contributes to the core of their wellbeing work. As well as all the materials for the raised beds the funds were used for two watering systems which will ensure that what they grow in their polytunnel will be watered regularly and not have to rely on a handful of volunteers, especially during heat wave periods.
They explained to us that they are passionate about using art-based initiatives to raise awareness about the implications of technology overuse specifically social media. Their collaboration with film students from Lancaster University has been a great success, and they are excited to expand their initiative through various mediums such as art, film, and education. Film productions are in progress working with The Gregson Community Centre Lancaster and Lancaster University Health & Innovation Centre.
These were very old, worn out and also hard to transport. They wanted some aluminium tables that are suitable to cook on as they are heat resistant, so hot stoves and pans can be placed on them. These are also much more hygienic and easier to clean as well as being easier to carry, transport and store. They can also be used in the scout hut for activities. With the remaining funds they purchased a new set of Hi Vis vests in various sizes for the children to wear when out and about. With new members joining and the old vests they did have all becoming worn out, they didnt have enough. So the 3R Foundation was happy to help.
CancerCare currently hosts a number of supportive groups, including Hug in a Mug – a pop-up café for people affected by cancer and bereavement – at their premises on Slyne Road, Lancaster. Whether someone has a recent cancer diagnosis and needs to offload about how they are feeling, or if they have lost a loved one and want to talk about it, Hug in a Mug offers a warm welcome and a listening ear. Hot drinks and cakes and traybakes are available for a voluntary donation. This weekly group had become so popular that it had outgrown the room it was currently hosted in. So they repurposed a larger group meeting space in a former stable block at CancerCare. A mini-kitchen area was added but they needed a hot water boiler and a fridge, to create a self-contained group space in which the community can grow safely. The room is also used by the ReFresh Peer Support Group, a specialist youth project for young people aged 12-17 who are affected by cancer and loss.
Last year, another school allowed them to borrow their GPS trackers. This enabled the leaders to track an individual expedition group of 6 at any time, providing a real time, eagle eyed view, over the pupil progress and location. This safety net was a real boost for the pupils and the staff. As the walking is over 4-6 hours and covers over 10-12 miles, there was so much scope for error. He went on to say that he has taken part in DofE expeditions for 7 years and this experience was unparalleled. This year they did not have access to the trackers and so they approached the 3R Foundation to see if we could help - we were delighted to, and they now have 6x Spot Trackers which should last for many years and keep numerous pupils safe!
It is also the home of the “uniform hub” supplying a drop in centre for all the schools in the area, giving free school uniforms, shoes, coats and bags donated to anyone in need. The Institute is also the only provider of toilet facilities for public use in Heysham since the toilet block in the village was closed. The new computer will be used to produce and keep accounts, meeting minutes, and to design fliers and posters for upcoming events, classes and presentations as well as to complete further fund raising applications in order to renovate the building making it more accessible and fit for purpose in the future.
The board includes different elements that stimulate the senses and will be suitable for a wide range of children that attend Unique Kidz and Co including those with severe disabilities. Unique Kidz and Co is a place to play, have fun, make friends and be unique for children and young adults aged 0-30 with disabilities. They do this by providing a number of services including afterschool clubs, holiday clubs, weekend clubs, daytime support for young adults, stay and play sessions for under 5's, a siblings group and a toy library. They were founded in 2009 by two mums of disabled children who were unable to find suitable childcare for their own disabled children. We visited them today and were shown around by fundraiser Chris and we have to say we were blown away by the work they are doing, and the smiles on everyones faces said it all. This was certainly helped by the lovely smell of cakes baked by some of the young adults, ready for the buses arriving with the children coming to afterschool club. They are currently seeking messages of support for a planning application to create vitally needed extra building space and develop the neighbouring field to provide additional activity spaces, alongside an accessible bike track, sensory gardens and dedicated play spaces. Find out more and how to support them on their website https://www.uniquekidzandco.org.uk.
Chris Adams the club president told us that despite being 100 years old the club is very young at heart and always wanting to encourage more people to play tennis and experience the benefits of joining. They have players aged 5 to 85 who can take advantage of the 4 floodlit all-weather courts that were resurfaced in 2017 with a carpet surface. This surface apparently is very comfortable to play on and much kinder on joints so players can continue playing as they get older.
They also provide a breakfast club for residents, but in 2023 they noticed that a lot of homeless and people with complex needs in the area were asking about the breakfast club, so they needed help to scale up the lovely cafe and kitchen facilities they have at Claremont Road. They approached us and the 3R Foundation was delighted to help with number of new appliances for them. This meant that the breakfast club was opened up to anyone at Christmas and it has been very popular and well received.
They run The Red Rose Community Centre, which also hosts a Boxing club (ABA Registered) a Karate club, as well as being used by the wider community for a range of clubs and events. The partition was needed both for Safeguarding, to keep spectators and parents back when the children are training, but still be able to see what's going on, and also so the cafe area is separated from the main hall, and can be used by other community groups without having to try and heat the main hall as well. They used plexi glass for the viewing area for safety, second hand recycled doors and reclaimed most of the wood they needed from pallets for the frame, with some wood sheets just needed for the top sections. As 3R stands for ReCycle, Reuse, Rehome we thoroughly approve and we were delighted to support them with this small grant.
Trampers have been provided in a number of locations by Morecambe Bay Partnership and more info about this great service and how to hire them can be found at Ways around the Bay. We were contacted by the Mission Heritage Centre Trust who were storing the Sunderland Point tramper in the porch of the Mission building which was difficult to access. Our grant has allowed them to build a much easier to access dedicated storage buidling.
Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team support the police, ambulance and other statutory emergency services providing search & rescue, medical, flood and swiftwater rescue, technical rope rescue and severe weather support for those in need. This includes treating and rescuing injured or lost hikers and runners on the fells, mountain bikers, climbers, horse riders, as well as searching for vulnerable or high risk missing people. The team is made up entirely of volunteers and who are on call 24/7 to provide support whenever it is needed. They rely entirely on grants and donations to remain operational. This includes purchasing medical equipment and lifesaving drugs, maintaining their vehicles, stretchers and rescue kit as well as ensuring team members are safely equipped to work in any conditions. A number of the 3R team have many years experience in Search & Rescue so we always happy to help our colleagues in the SAR community.
They meet on the first Sunday evening in each month for activities, discussions and to play games. They are involved within the community and had a cake stall for the Coronation Weekend and have undertaken a beach clean up. The church houses the Warton Community Library for adults and the young people wanted to set up a community library for their age group which they will run themselves. They were looking for funding to buy new and good second hand books suitable for 9-14 ages, which would be available to borrow free of charge for anyone from the village. Instead of simply making a grant award for this the 3R grants committee suggested that the group selects books (and book cases) from the 3R charity shop stock over a few months. As the shop sells paperback books for 50p and hardbacks for a £1 it meant the funds went much further and the group received many more books than then would have if they had bought them new. A lovely bit of reciprocal recycling!!
They have 21 schools in their school swimming programme, over 500 children in the lesson programme and hold general swimming sessions, including sessions with links to both doctors surgeries, parent and child classes, aquafit and swim sanity sessions, and also hold children parties on both small floats and a large inflatable. They also have regular bookings from local uniform groups and other youth organisations. So when Gillian the pool manager applied for a grant to replace the end of life battery in their defibrillator we were more than happy to help!
Their Chairperson Cat Yearron explained that the team enables children and adults to participate in wheelchair basketball, promoting the health and well-being of the people who attend, and for some of the participants that attend this is their only accessible sports activity in this area. The team is re-entering the national league this season after a year out and they want to come back stronger, so the 3R Foundation was more than happy to help.
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May 2024
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