Climate action in the Lake District
Helping tomorrow
Our ambition is bold: to make the Lake District the world’s most inspiring National Park and a model for sustainable development. By demonstrating real-world solutions, we aim to ignite positive change on a global scale.
You can help a lot by donating
We lead on climate action
2023-2024
For people and the planet
Low Carbon grant
From January 2021 to June 2023, thanks to funding from the European Structural and Investment Fund, the Lake District Foundation ran a grant scheme that gave funding for projects that would reduce the carbon footprint of businesses and community groups. Projects in the Lake District and Cumbria that increased renewable energy generation or improved energy efficiency were eligible.
We awarded grants to 80 projects across 58 organisations to the value of ÂŁ851,350. This unlocked a further ÂŁ719,020 of private investment and bolstered the local low carbon economy.Â
The organisations we supported included tourist attractions, self-catering accommodation, hotels and guest houses, art galleries and museums, building contractors, architects, printers and publishers, food producers and breweries, pubs and shops and even GP surgeries.Â
Projects included air source heat pumps, efficient appliances, insulation, LED lighting, electric vehicle charging, solar PV, and even small-scale hydro projects.  An estimated 544.3 metric tons of CO2e will be saved each year because of these projects.Â
Given in grants
544 metric tonnes CO2e saved annually
Organisations supported
Completed project
Testimonials
What people say about this project
Pennington's Spirits
The spirit of sustainability: How solar power is shaping Pennington’s Spirits future
A few years ago, the Lake District Foundation helped Pennington’s Spirits take a bold step towards sustainability by awarding them funding from the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF). With this support, they installed 70 solar panels, reducing their reliance on external energy and cutting their carbon footprint.
Fast forward to today, and the impact has been transformative. The LDF team recently popped down to see the Pennington’s team and hear first-hand how the investment has shaped their business. The results? Impressive. Pennington’s now runs its operations without using any external energy during the summer months. The investment has future-proofed their business, shielding them from rising energy costs and embedding sustainability at the heart of everything they do.
At the Lake District Foundation, we’re proud to have played a part in this journey. Through the ESIF grant, we’ve helped businesses like Pennington’s take meaningful steps towards a more sustainable future. To date, we’ve overseen grants of more than £1 million to local Cumbrian businesses, supporting them to reduce carbon emissions, invest in renewable energy and build a more sustainable economy. Their success is a fantastic example of how funding can drive real change, benefiting both businesses and the landscapes we all love.
Pennington's Spirits
