Rory pledges support for Cash for Kids Hardship Fund

Rory met with Cash for Kids fundraiser Diane Campbell and Board Member Dawn Dixon at Carlisle’s CFM radio station to discuss the work of local charity Cash for Kids, where he pledged his support and suggested that the charity considers launching a hardship fund to address the issues of rural isolation in east Cumbria.

CFM Radio’s Cash for Kids delivers initiatives for sick and underprivileged children in local communities, benefiting the neediest and raising and donating cash locally. The national charity raised nearly £10 million in 2011, with CFM’s branch of the charity raising almost £315,000 – an increase on the £223,000 it raised in 2010. Its target for 2012 is £350,000, enabling it to donate to more children in Cumbria.

In recent months its high-profile campaigns have included the Secret Santa Toy Appeal, raising over £110,000 worth of toys to donation to over 1,700 children, and the Helping Hand for Olivia Appeal, raising over £80,000 and still climbing.In 2011 CFM’s Cash for Kids allocated several grants locally, including to Eden House Children’s Hospice, West Cumbria Young Carers, Carlisle Youth Zone, Barnardos, and Riding for the Disabled.

Rory said: “I’m glad to have had this opportunity to learn more about the work of Cash for Kids, which has delivered unbelievably impressive results in terms of the amounts it has raised, the quantity of initiatives it has driven, and the sheer energy of its fundraising team, which has worked tirelessly to promote such appeals as the Secret Santa Toy appeal.

“I am delighted to know that such an energetic charity is operating to improve the lives of the neediest of Cumbria’s children, and am sure that it will achieve its goal of growing its funds year on year, ensuring that more money be spent locally. I have encouraged the charity to think about establishing a hardship fund to donate bursaries to some of east Cumbria’s neediest families, particularly those whose children are having trouble accessing services because of lack of transport or private funding in times of financial downturn. It would be great to see some of our particular issues of rural isolation being addressed by such a fund, and I very much look forward to continuing to support this excellent charity’s work.”

Picture: Diane Campbell, Dawn Dixon and Rory Stewart MP