A £2 million fund will be awarded to community organisations in Ulverston, Cumbria, following the closure of the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pharmaceutical branch at the end of June. The company pledged the donation as a legacy contribution to support local projects, with the GSK Task Force, established by Labour MP Michelle Scrogham, responsible for distributing the funds. Public consultation in December helped identify projects that would deliver long-term educational, cultural, or leisure benefits to the community.
The selected recipients are Ford Park Community Group, which manages a local charity-run park, and The Spot, a community interest company providing recreational activities and poverty relief for residents. Ford Park plans to use the funding to build an expanded community space that is more accessible, eco-friendly, and equipped for educational trips and events. Park director Sam Ronson noted that the funds would help the charity operate entirely on renewable energy and secure its future financially amid an increasingly competitive funding landscape.
The Spot will transform an old auction mart in the town centre into a modern, environmentally sustainable community hub. Volunteer Ceri Hutton described the donation as “transformational,” enabling the organisation to provide support and creative community activities in a town that has lost nine venues over the past decade. Both organisations expressed gratitude to GSK and the Task Force for supporting projects that will strengthen community engagement and improve the quality of life for Ulverston residents.
A £2 million fund will be awarded to community organisations in Ulverston, Cumbria, following the closure of the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pharmaceutical branch at the end of June. The company pledged the donation as a legacy contribution to support local projects, with the GSK Task Force, established by Labour MP Michelle Scrogham, responsible for distributing the funds. Public consultation in December helped identify projects that would deliver long-term educational, cultural, or leisure benefits to the community.
The selected recipients are Ford Park Community Group, which manages a local charity-run park, and The Spot, a community interest company providing recreational activities and poverty relief for residents. Ford Park plans to use the funding to build an expanded community space that is more accessible, eco-friendly, and equipped for educational trips and events. Park director Sam Ronson noted that the funds would help the charity operate entirely on renewable energy and secure its future financially amid an increasingly competitive funding landscape.
The Spot will transform an old auction mart in the town centre into a modern, environmentally sustainable community hub. Volunteer Ceri Hutton described the donation as “transformational,” enabling the organisation to provide support and creative community activities in a town that has lost nine venues over the past decade. Both organisations expressed gratitude to GSK and the Task Force for supporting projects that will strengthen community engagement and improve the quality of life for Ulverston residents.
