Pictured from left to right: Jane Stevens, Ella Wrenn, Steven Roe & Amy Thompson.
South Lakes Housing gives £5,000 funding boost to resident-led Windermere skatepark project.
Support through SLH’s Community Improvement Fund will help the resident-led group create a safer, more inclusive skatepark for the local community.
South Lakes Housing has presented a £5,000 cheque to Windermere Park For All following a successful application to SLH’s Community Improvement Fund. The project received £2,500 through the fund, with a further £2,500 from SLH’s Housing and Insight Team. The funding will help create a modern, inclusive concrete skatepark for young people, families and the wider community.
SLH has homes nearby, including Droomer Drive, Limethwaite Road, Oakthwaite Road and Whinfield Road, and is proud to support a project that will provide a positive outdoor space for local children and young people.
Windermere Park For All is working to improve Queen’s Park, also known locally as the Rec. The group has already helped deliver a new playground and pump track and is now focused on replacing the existing skatepark with a safer, more accessible and longer-lasting facility.
The funding supports SLH’s three-year business strategy, Your Home, Our Community, and its focus on community-based housing: providing good homes while working with residents and partners to strengthen the places people live.
The committee has now reached its £140,000 fundraising target, allowing the project to move to the next stage and go out to tender. Support has also come from funders and community partners including the National Lottery, Cumbria Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Community Fund, Cumbria Community Foundation and Westmorland and Furness Council.
Hilary Tooke, Communications and Marketing Partner at South Lakes Housing, pictured above with Amy Thompson, Community and Press Relations from Windermere Park For All; Stephen Roe, Director of Housing and Insight at SLH and Ella Wrenn, Housing Officer for the Lakes area at SLH, said: “On behalf of South Lakes Housing, I’d like to congratulate Windermere Park For All on its successful application to the Community Improvement Fund and on reaching its impressive fundraising target. We’re delighted to support the skatepark redevelopment with a £5,000 contribution. This community-led project will benefit local young people, families and residents for years to come, and reflects our commitment to community-based housing by supporting the places and partnerships that help local communities thrive.”
Windermere Park For All committee member Amy Thompson said: “We’re incredibly grateful to South Lakes Housing for their generous £5,000 donation and for taking the time to visit the site. It’s wonderful to have the support of an organisation committed to investing in local communities. Every contribution brings us one step closer to creating a fantastic new skatepark and making Queen’s Park a space for everyone to enjoy for years to come.”
Once complete, the skatepark will support skateboarders, scooter riders and roller skaters, while providing a durable facility that fits well within the park setting.
South Lakes Housing looks forward to seeing the new skatepark take shape as a lasting community space for Windermere.
Have an idea to improve your local area? Work with your neighbours and apply for funding through SLH’s Community Improvement Fund. The fund can support improvements such as new benches, planters and other projects that make a positive difference in local communities.
https://www.southlakeshousing.co.uk/community-improvement-fund-2025/
