Friday 18-12-2015 - 15:26

Staff at the University of Cumbria have donated £2150.16 to the Cumbria Community Foundation flood recovery appeal, as well as an additional £1488.54 to the Lancashire Community Foundation flood recovery appeal - to support individuals and families and vital community organisations and resident groups affected by Storm Desmond.

The funds were collected at staff Christmas lunches which took place on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 December. Staff donated £1075.08 in cash which the university then match funded to make up to a total of £2150.16.

Lynn Bewley, Communications and Events Manager, said: “In Carlisle, we’ve seen first-hand the devastation caused by the floods only a few streets away from our Fusehill Street campus. Staff and students have pulled out all the stops to support the community in a variety ways and we’re delighted that we can make this further contribution to such a vitally important fund.”

The university opened a temporary distribution centre at its Fusehill Street campus sports hall in Carlisle to house and distribute donations for flood victims.

The centre is not accepting any more donations and would like to encourage anyone affected by the floods to visit the centre over the weekend to pick up anything they need before it closes next week on Wednesday 23 December.

Since it opened, the centre has helped over 2800 people. The university made the sport hall facilities available since Monday, 7 December, at the request of Greystone Community Centre.