Dozens of Cumbrian businesses awarded share of £1m grant

The LEP’s ‘Innovating for Success’ grant will unlock £2.8 million of businesses own investment, with the grants resulting in over 4,000 tonnes of CO2 savings over the next ten years. The innovation projects are expected to deliver an additional £35 million of economic value over the same period.

The programme, aimed at helping Cumbria’s small and medium businesses to both innovate and cut their carbon emissions, saw applications submitted from every corner of the region.

A total of 18 local businesses have been awarded Innovation grants of up to £50,000, whilst a further 14 businesses have been awarded Decarbonisation grants. The one-off grants will be used to part fund investment projects, helping unlock further investment into the county.

Successful organisations will use the grant to stimulate clean growth and cut their carbon emissions through sustainable initiatives, whilst others plan to use this to transform digital services, push forward innovation and create new products and prototypes. 

Jo Lappin, chief executive of the Cumbria LEP, said: “The Innovating for Success grant supports both innovation and helping businesses to decarbonise and support the LEP’s commitment to achieving net zero in Cumbria. The successful businesses have demonstrated impressive and imaginative ways to move their businesses to the next level.

“I’m therefore delighted to be able to announce the grant awards – which will act as a catalyst for further private sector investment into Cumbria’s businesses, ensuring that our key sectors continue to grow and evolve to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

Muncaster Castle won a share of the decarbonisation grant and have big plans to decarbonise the 13th century castle and wider countryside.

Ewan Frost-Pennington, operations manager at Muncaster Castle, said: “This fund will greatly benefit our organisation as we work towards our goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Demonstrating that a 13th century castle can fully decarbonise we hope will inspire others across Cumbria to also push for zero carbon. As a tourist attraction we feel we are ideally placed to demonstrate the technologies and disseminate our learnings on how to decarbonise both to other businesses and the wider countryside.

“With this grant, we have big plans to make the castle fully electric, optimise our ground source heat pump and invest in innovative decarbonisation technologies, such batteries and micro hydro. This grant allocation represents a significant opportunity for us to make a real difference in the fight against climate change.”

The full list of Cumbrian businesses awarded grant funding are:

• Accurite Industries Ltd, Ulverston
• Ackerley Milton Mains, Brampton
• Appleby Creamery Ltd, Appleby-in-Westmorland
• Barrnon Media, Workington 
• Blencow Partnership Limited, Penrith
• Burlington Slate Limited, Kirkby-in-Furness
• Casterton Golf Course Ltd, Carnforth
• Croglin Limited, Penrith
• Crown Hotel, Wetheral
• Delkia, West lakes, Whitehaven
• Eggbase, Sedbergh
• Furness Fish & Game, Grange-over-sands
• Grosvenor House Papers Limited (GHP), Kendal
• Harbourside Products Limited, Maryport
• Holker Estates Co Limited, Grange-over-sands
• Ian Cleasby Agricultural and Industrial Limited, Penrith
• Jacksons Timber, Whitehaven
• Just R Ltd, Carlisle
• Lakes Speciality Foods Limited, Kendal
• McMenon Engineering Services, Workington
• Muncaster Visitor Management Limited, Muncaster, Ravenglass
• Ratio Technology Limited, Kendal
• Revolutionary Concepts Ltd, Kendal
• Stone Harrison, Carlisle
• Storth Ltd, Carnforth
• The Creators Cortex, Kendal
• The Lakes Free Range Egg Company Ltd – Innovation, Penrith
• The Lakes Free Range Egg Company Ltd – Decarbonisation, Penrith
• The Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere
• The Yan at Broadrayne, Ambleside
• Transaction 360 Degrees Ltd, Appleby-in-Westmorland
• Urofoam Ltd, Askam-in-Furness