A community café and an area to support children are among those to have been awarded funding by the Petteril Community Panel.

The panel, composed of ward councillors, distributes investment to community organisations.

A number of investments were approved at a recent meeting.

Friends of Newtown Primary School, on behalf of Petteril Bank School, was handed £1,500.

This will be used to create a secure space in Petteril Bank School for those suffering from Adverse Childhood Experiences trauma.

This pilot scheme will not only aid the school's children, but also their families.

If successful, it may be opened to the wider community.

Anti Racist Cumbria also received an investment of £1,440.

This is for the purpose of creating events to unite black and brown communities.

The initiative will help these communities to be engaged with wider public services.

Another investment was given to Greystone Community Centre.

The centre received £24,110 to set up a community café within the existing centre to serve community groups.

Harraby Community Centre has been granted £24,800 for running costs, maintenance and to host club activities.

These include a community garden, community pantomime, a film club and a parent group.

In total, the panel invested £51,850.

Each of these initiatives supports at least one of the panel's core priorities: children and young people, emotional wellbeing and mental health, and the environment.

Cllr Lisa Brown, the vice chair of the Petteril Panel and Cumberland's executive member for Adults and Community Health, said: " I am inspired by the excellent work that goes on in all our communities to support residents.

"We have been able to invest in another round of projects that people should feel very proud of."

Cumberland Council operates eight Community Panels which cover the entirety of the council area.

The panels aim to directly inject investment into communities, focusing on what the communities have requested support for, and improving lives in the respective areas.

The next deadline for investments from the Petteril Community Panel is set for July 23.

The panel is hosting its next network event on August 7 at Carlisle Rugby Club.