Shap volunteers who banded together to raise funds to benefit the village have now handed out over £100,000 in grants.
Shap Community Enterprise is an entirely volunteer-run charity which works to raise money and distribute it for the benefit of village residents.
Having formed in 2015, it has recently reached the financial milestone by handing out grants totalling £101,407.16.
The money has helped benefit the village primary school, swimming pool, allotment society, memorial hall, scouts, cricket club, community development group, bowling club, gardening club, the 106 bus partnership, Shap Today magazine, after school club, St Michael’s Church, Shap Community CIO, arts projects, the Wasdale Residents’ Association and Shap Football Club.
Shap Community Enterprise was given a boost when a group of generous and community-minded residents, who wish to remain anonymous, purchased premises for a shop and rent it to the charity at a reasonable cost.
This was used to set up the Second Chance charity shop, which has started to fill the gap left by the closure of the town’s former Age UK Charity Shop that had operated in the village for several years.
The Second Chance charity shop sells donated goods; clothing, household goods, books, and jewellery at low prices, and funds are put into Shap Community Enterprise.
A second source of income the charity draws on are Monday lunches that are served in Shap memorial hall.
This began as a service to the community on a day when the cafe and chip shop were not open and both enterprises are managed and staffed by volunteers.
All profits made by Shap Community Enterprise are to support Shap organisations with grants.
The trustees meet quarterly to consider applications and award grants.
