Business case studies

Aviva 

Land purchase at Skiddaw Forest

This is a £5 million investment as part of the wider Aviva Rainforest nationwide project forming a 100 year vision for nature's recovery. With Aviva's help (along with lots of donations from individuals) we were able to announce the purchase of a 3000 acre site in October 2024. 

The project includes the creation of 620 acres of Atlantic Rainforest and the restoration of 992 acres of existing but damaged peatland.  Following the purchase, Aviva has been looking for ways to further support the project and make meaningful contributions.

For further information visit our Skiddaw Forest page.

Ticket Tailor

Protecting peatland carbon stores

Ticket Tailor is a certified B Corp, and donates 1p of every ticket sold on its platform to a range of climate causes under their 'Penny for the Planet' scheme. 

Since 2021, Ticket Tailor has donated over £160,000, helping to ensure peatland carbon stores are managed in the best possible way to maximise effectiveness in the fight against climate change, including significant contributions to project work at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve.

Jonny White, Ticket Tailor CEO and Founder, joined in the hands-on conservation day at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve. He said: "It's brilliant for the team to take a break from their usual day-to-day to come and see the impact of all our donations. It's really inspiring to witness all the restoration that has gone on here, as well as the thriving wildlife, and the fact that our team can volunteer some of our time to help is the cherry on top of the cake. This connection to the outcomes of our donations reminds us that we're driving real change. Every ticket sale truly makes a difference. And as the business grows, our contributions will only continue to increase!"

Ozone

Supporting our marine habitats

Ozone has invested over £141,000 in critical restoration work over three years to restore a vast area of seagrass near Roa Island in the Walney Channel.   

Thanks to this funding, we've been able to undertake restoration trials on the seagrass beds, aiming to bring them back to their former size and health so they can thrive along with the species that rely on them. 

Amber Gould, our Marine Officer said this investment has "given us the resources we need to help this fantastic ecosystem to recover, and to work with other organisations across the North West to bring about an Irish Sea that’s healthier and wilder in the long term.”

Ozone said: "Ozone is delighted to support Cumbria Wildlife Trust in its efforts to restore seagrass beds as part of our commitment to restoring and improving the natural environment that our sports enjoy exploring."

This is a great example of business support enabling us to explore new and innovative methods of restoration, allowing us to learn what works best and develop best practice for really meaningful marine restoration. 

The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction

Long-term support for Eycott Hill Nature Reserve

The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction raises funds for wildlife and donates 10p of every entrance ticket to Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Also, visitors can donate via a beautifully designed, purpose built tap-to-donate point in the attraction's foyer.

We've been able to plant over 6000 trees at Eycott Hill Nature Reserve thanks to these donations. In addition, we've been able to trial new planting methods, the results of which are being used to inform the approach at Skiddaw Forest.

We've also been really pleased to host teams from The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction on our Wild Work Days at Eycott Hill Nature Reserve. They participated in our tree planting programme to help re-establish woodlands, an outcome of their donations, including juniper scrub in January 2026.

The Cumberland Building Society

Red squirrel rescue

The Cumberland Building Society has donated £10 for every mortgage started over a three year period. This multi-year support has provided funding for our red squirrel ranger's work to ensure their long-term survival. To date, we've received £68,500.

Being able to employ a full-time member of staff to support red squirrels was critical to their long-term survival. With the help of The Cumberland Building Society we installed and monitored 90 nest boxes and specially-designed red squirrel feeders to give 'the reds' the best chance of breeding success.  

The Cumberland Building Society has also enjoyed several Wild Work Days at a variety of Cumbria Wildlife Trust nature reserves to experience a range of projects and gain a greater understanding of our work, whilst also undertaking practical conservation work.

Lakeland 

Flower rich meadows and red squirrels

Lakeland has been a Cumbria Wildlife Trust supporter for over twenty years. Historically supporting two university placement-year roles with us, it's more recently contributed £40,000 to flower-rich meadow projects followed by a £20,000 contribution towards our red squirrel projects. 

In total, Lakeland has contributed over £77,000 to a variety of projects and roles, making a substantial impact to what we do for nature's recovery.

Fibrus Broadband

Get Cumbria Buzzing, Not Buffering

Over 3 years between 2023 and 2025 Fibrus broadband made a £150,000 contribution, as part of Hyperfast GB connecting Cumbria, bringing Full Fibre broadband to the county. 

The Get Cumbria Buzzing, Not Buffering Project created or restored flower-rich habitat in 15 community green spaces, putting in place plans for future management to ensure they continue to be pollinator havens long into the future.  Community planting sessions and pollinator identification days were also organised, and 1,500 packets of Cumbrian wildflower seeds given out to communities across Cumbria.

Rachel Bain, Environmental and Sustainability Specialist for Fibrus said "Fibrus is committed to ensuring we have environmental sustainability at the core of our business. We are excited to be supporting Cumbria Wildlife Trust with delivery of this pollinator project which will restore valuable habitats, improve the natural environment and help in the fight against climate change. As well as engaging with the local community to support their pollinator journey."

For further information see Get Cumbria Buzzing Not Buffering

Crossbank Dental Care 'implant a tree^TM'

Crossbank Dental Care in Kendal plants a tree for every dental implant placed, supporting habitat restoration and biodiversity in Cumbria. Since January 2024, more than 500 implants have been placed equating to 500 trees planted locally.

Participation in Cumbria Wildlife Trust's "30 Days Wild" inspired the team to take further action for nature and embed sustainability more deeply across the practice, achieving "Gold Award" status with Green Impact Dentistry. The practice is committed to sustainable dentistry, working with Kendal based company NuGreen to reduce clinical waste. Crossbank Dental Care continues to share best practice with other dental teams encouraging a more sustainable approach across the profession.

Bex Cooper, Director, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Cumbria Wildlife Trust helping to restore nature one tree at a time. It’s about making a positive, long-term difference for our patients and the environment.”

The Birds' Bistro 

Feeding wild birds and supporting nature

The Birds' Bistro is donating 10% of the value of any bird seed sales to Cumbria Wildife Trust when 'Cumbria Wildlife Trust' is mentioned at point of sale. Online shoppers located in Cumbria can also benefit from free home delivery.

Supporting wild bird populations is vitally important for a healthy ecosystem, and The Birds' Bistro's financial donation supports our many and varied wildlife conservation projects in Cumbria.

Grasmere Gingerbread®

Dippers, Hedgehogs and Red Squirrels

Grasmere Gingerbread® has been donating money to Cumbria Wildlife Trust since 2014 and recently passed the fantastic milestone of £2,000 in donations.

The historic 171 year-old bakery and tourist attraction in Grasmere village, Cumbria, started helping Cumbria Wildlife Trust by donating 20p from the sale of every Chocolate Dipper.

More recently, £1 from the sale of every hand stitched hedgehog and red squirrel collectible has contributed significantly to the Trust's project funds. 

We really value our long-term business supporters and benefit from lasting support like this.

Joanne Hunter, co-director of Grasmere Gingerbread®, said: “As a business whose customers want to experience the natural world, we rely upon organisations like Cumbria Wildlife Trust to conserve our county’s flora and fauna. We are thrilled that our ongoing donations continue to help the organisation to undertake its vital work.”

The BioCharged Compost Co.

Revitalising soils using sustainably sourced by-products

The BioCharged Compost Company uses by-products from conservation work, sourced from sustainable land management by selected local Wildlife Trusts including Cumbria Wildlife Trust. For each product sold, £1 is donated to these Wildlife Trusts. 

In essence this means that sustainably sourced materials create Composts and CompBucha^TM and these products help provide environmentally friendly solutions to support plant growth in a way that also supports wider biodiversity.

The Trust is regulated by the Fundraising Regulator.  We closely follow the principles outlined in our Fundraising Promise, and commit to abide by the Code of Fundraising Practice