HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh celebrates the work of 16 rural community organisations from across Cumbria & Northumberland
On 8th September 2026, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, met members of rural community groups from across Cumbria and Northumberland at an event run by The Royal Countryside Fund at the Rheged Centre, Penrith.
The event represented the culmination of a multi-year investment to support rural communities in these two counties.
This place-based funding programme, launched in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund in 2024, provided a total of £387,000 in funding to 16 diverse community-led groups from rural areas across Cumbria and Northumberland.
As part of the programme, the groups met regularly to share ideas and resources. This latest event provided an opportunity to celebrate the successes of the programme and brought everyone together again to plan for the future.
Projects funded as part of the programme ranged from community transport, food security and youth leadership initiatives to environmental skills training, community emergency resilience and local enterprise development.
The funding was designed to help rural communities build local capacity, strengthen connections, develop new skills and create longer-term pathways towards greater self-sufficiency and resilience.
In an end-of-programme survey, 93% of the participating groups reported that they are now more viable and sustainable because of engaging with the RCF programme and are also more confident in their ability to plan for their future. Additionally, 75% feel they are in a stronger position to support others in their area.
The programme sought to create the conditions for lasting change. Funding was awarded to help organisations recruit coordinators, develop leadership, establish partnerships, test new approaches and strengthen their organisational resilience alongside delivering direct support to their communities.
As a result, 63% of the groups now have new income streams or funding in place, while 88% say they have built internal skills and capacity that will outlast this programme. 69% have now also built stronger partnerships that will continue beyond the end of the programme.
A full report on the programme’s outcomes and all the activity undertaken by the groups was launched at the event and is available below.
Evaluating our programme in Cumbria & Northumberland
In this 2026 report we summarise and evaluate our work with 16 rural community organisations in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund.
Read the full report to find out more about the groups we supported and all that they have achieved.
Keith Halstead, Chief Executive, The Royal Countryside Fund, said:
“We’ve had the great privilege of working alongside so many passionate and energetic community groups across Cumbria and Northumberland over the last two years. What these organisations have achieved in that time is remarkable and inspiring, and this latest event and visit from HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate that.
“This programme has been a brilliant opportunity to advance the RCF’s role to promote community-led solutions. Every community is different and local people know best of all what they need and what will work in their area. Bringing people together is also at the heart of what we do as a charity. Throughout this programme we’ve worked to build face-to-face connections and create spaces for groups to share resources and ideas, while learning from each other.
“The RCF remains one of very few funders focused on rural communities, which are so often overlooked. We’re very grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for all the support and expertise they have brought to this partnership. Our hope is that every project we have funded goes from strength-to-strength, generating new opportunities for their community, long into the future.”
Gillian Halliwell, Senior Head of Regions – North at The National Lottery Community Fund, said:
“We’re proud to have funded this unique collaboration that handed power over to isolated rural communities, allowing them to access exactly what they need.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, the sixteen funded groups are leading lasting change. Communities are stronger, more sustainable, and better able to address the local issues they face every day. And by learning from each other, building skills and connections, the funded groups have been enabled to take that positive impact long into the future.
“This programme shows how trusting the people who know their communities best can be truly life-changing.”
Alexander Scott, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria, said:
“The achievements of these sixteen organisations show what can happen when local knowledge and well-directed support come together with purpose.
“I warmly commend The Royal Countryside Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund for investing not only in projects, but in the people and relationships that sustain communities for the long term.
“Above all, I thank the volunteers, staff and local leaders whose energy and dedication make our countryside such a resilient, special and inspiring place.”
In their own words – here is how some of the groups described the programme:
- “It was excellent to have a personal relationship with the RCF team and for them to visit and get to know our ‘place’ and the challenges we face.” – Vista Veg, RCF funding recipient
- “It’s really nice to work in a way that feels like a partnership rather than a transaction. We take more from that. It feels like the process is more valuable.” – Skelton Toppin Memorial Hall, RCF funding recipient
- “One of the comments from everybody has just been the face-to-face nature of this funding, how important it is to link up. Networking is just so powerful. We’re all trying to do the same thing really, so doing it together we’ll have a lot greater impact.” – Watchtree Nature Reserve, RCF funding recipient
Find out more about our place-based support for rural communities here.