Where your money goes Apart from the garden itself which is professionally maintained, the Friends of Grasmere is entirely managed and run by local volunteers so no part of your donation goes in charity salaries, wages, or related expenses. Funds raised will be used by registered charities involved in the preservation and promotion of the heritage of the Vale of Grasmere and its traditional ways of Lake District Life. St. Oswald’s church is important because of its unusual architecture and its connection with Wordsworth. Its 100,000 tourist visitors a year are always welcome but increase the wear and tear on the fabric of the building and its churchyard. Our money will help The Friends of St. Oswald’s create an endowment fund to provide an income for its renovation and maintenance. It is increasingly difficult to employ people even for heritage projects in the Lakes because local housing is unaffordable due to holiday home demand. The Lakeland Housing Trust buys and lets homes at subsidised rents to young families thereby helping to preserve the labour force, a key to maintaining the local features everyone enjoys. The Wordsworth Trust uses our donations to help preserve the literary heritage of the poet's bond with Grasmere. Donations will be made to The National Trust to help farmers and others maintain countryside features that otherwise would be difficult to afford because of low hill farm incomes. |
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