Andy Beeforth, chief executive of the Cumbria Community Foundation says it's time for organisations to work together to capitalise on the social value of our nuclear industry and make the county a more attractive place to do business

He writes: "Cumbria is home to some of the country’s most important strategic assets, the heart of the nation’s nuclear capability and where our nuclear submarines are built. Billions of pounds of tax-payers money are spent in our county with large national and international businesses. We welcome these large businesses, but they are not always as well connected with our communities as they could be, and more mutual benefit can be gained if we work together better.

This is why I’m delighted to be part of a new initiative which held its first major event in Carlisle recently. The Invest in Cumbria Alliance is a coalition of political leaders, public, private and charitable organisations that have come together to work with major business to help them develop social value plans for Cumbria that mean everyone benefits.

For those businesses working with the public sector, ‘social value’ has become a new and important concept to grapple with. The Social Value Act, and more recent government guidance, now places a requirement on businesses in receipt of government contracts to deliver ‘social value’. Cumbrian based former MP Hazel Blears was a co-sponsor of the Act and is passionate about businesses looking at the entirety of their activities, employment, training and purchasing to identify how they can generate a positive social return. This is more than charitable giving or corporate social responsibility, but a recognition that doing good in business is also good for business. One of Cumbria’s issues is a lack of skilled, younger workers. A key concern for millennials is the wish to work in and for businesses that have a social purpose.

The Social Value Act and the dialogue that will be held through the Invest in Cumbria Alliance will allow us to make sure big business is considering some of the root causes behind skills and workforce shortages and that our community organisations providing valuable sports, cultural and community activities are backed, making Cumbria an even more attractive place to do business. Contact me to begin a conversation and to find out more about the Invest in Cumbria Alliance, visit www.iica.uk

Over the last few years, the team at the Community Foundation has been looking for good ideas from outside the county that can help us with our own issues. Positive Disruptors is based on a similar initiative run by the Hunter Foundation. The programme aims to empower young people to ‘positively disrupt’ the status quo by backing good ideas with both money, training and mentoring.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor to help and encourage these young people to prosper, contact annalee@cumbriafoundation.org for more information.

Cumbria has a long-standing history of welcoming people that are experiencing challenging circumstances and need to resettle for their own safety. Since 2017, almost 250 refugees from countries like Syria, Iraq and Somalia have come to Cumbria and a further 137 Afghan refugees will be re-settled by the end of the year. The concerns refugees face is wide-ranging, both in the short and longer term, that's why we set up the Welcome Fund, to inspire and encourage people to donate and help welcome our new neighbours into the community.

If you would like to donate, visit: www.cumbriafoundation.enthuse.com/cf/welcome-fund."