Campfire sing-alongs coming back as Bendrigg Trust hits £20,000 yurt fundraising campaign target

Visitors to a specialist residential outdoor education centre in south Cumbria will soon be back under canvas after a community fundraising campaign hit its £20,000 target.

Bendrigg Trust in Old Hutton works with groups of disabled and disadvantaged people from right across the UK, and aims to make adventure accessible by overcoming barriers and transforming lives.

The Trust previously had two large yurts in which a variety of accessible bushcraft activities took place, but after the one that sat alongside its main building was damaged beyond repair in a severe storm last year, it had to be taken down.

A fundraising campaign was launched to pay for a replacement – and now, a £5,000 grant from the community fund linked to the nearby Armistead Wind Farm has taken the Trust past its target.

A new 18ft diameter, ash-framed yurt will be installed on site in the autumn which will allow disabled people to enjoy activities by the campfire that they might otherwise not be able to access, while it will feature a log burner to ensure it can be used all year round.

It’s the fourth time that the Trust has received support from the fund linked to the Armistead Wind Farm, which is owned by leading independent renewable energy producer ERG and managed by OnPath Energy.

A £5,000 grant given last year helped it update the equipment in its well-used sensory room, while previous grants totalling £11,000 helped to fund the creation of an inclusive outdoor play space and the purchase of a fleet of new canoes and associated equipment.

In addition, National Highways has given £9,999 as part of its Community Legacy Fund, which supports local organisations in communities impacted by its works.

Founded in 1978, the Bendrigg Trust has almost 50 years’ experience of providing outdoor adventure activities for disabled people and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It welcomes around 4,200 people of all abilities every year, including those with physical, learning, sensory and other disabilities

The Trust is run by a team of 40 staff who work alongside around 175 volunteers and is one of very few providers of such comprehensive outdoor educational facilities anywhere in the UK.

Emily Kinder, trusts and foundations fundraiser at the Bendrigg Trust, says: “It can be difficult for people with disabilities and mobility issues to access outdoor activities that most of us take for granted, and we tailor the opportunities we provide to help remove those barriers.

We’ve really missed having the yurt outside our main building as it was easy to get to and very well used for all sorts of activities by almost all our groups of visitors, so we’re really excited to now have the chance to put a new one in its place.”

Emily Kinder, Trusts and foundations fundraiser at the Bendrigg Trust

“We’ll have plenty of space to accommodate lots of visitors at once, including wheelchair users, and to give everyone the chance to learn new bushcraft skills, join in with campfire sing-alongs or simply enjoy toasting marshmallows on the fire.

“The log burner also means that the yurt will provide a warm sheltered space all year round, which is important for visitors who might not be able to stay outside for too long in colder weather and will mean that they can have an equitable experience.

“Being able to access further support from the Armistead Wind Farm Fund has enabled us to get our fundraising campaign over the line far sooner than we otherwise would have and we’re all looking forward to seeing the new yurt in place later in the year.”

The Armistead Wind Farm Fund provides around £13,000 of funding for local good causes and community groups every year, and operates in line with ERG’s ESG Plan objective of fostering shared value and supporting the sustainable development of the local communities hosting its renewable assets.

Melissa Falconer, Head of Business Development UK at ERG, said: “With the acquisition of Armistead Wind Farm, ERG is reaffirming its commitment to honouring its responsibilities to the local area, ensuring that the site continues to generate clean energy while remaining a trusted ‘Good Neighbour’ to the local community.

“For ERG, this means going beyond financial support and building a relationship based on shared values and a genuine commitment to contributing to the local area. Being part of this community means taking care of it, supporting initiatives that deliver tangible benefits for local people while also contributing to the protection of the wider environment.

“Armistead is therefore more than an energy infrastructure asset: ERG sees it as a resource shared with the local community. A valuable asset to be developed through collaboration, helping to build a sustainable future where clean energy generation can go hand in hand with the protection and enhancement of the rural heritage.”

Tom Chaplin, partnership & community manager at OnPath Energy, says: “Bendrigg Trust makes such a positive difference to its visitors’ lives by providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities that might otherwise remain out of reach, and we’re looking forward to seeing the new yurt on site later in the year.”

Environmental and community projects in the vicinity of the Armistead Wind Farm which are interested in applying to its Community Fund should first contact the fund manager via apply@onpathcommunityfund.co.uk or on 0191 378 6342 to confirm that their group or project is eligible.