A Cumbrian charity has been granted Charitable Status and is now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation or CIO.

Anti Racist Cumbria was formed in 2020 and exists to campaign for anti-racism whilst providing the education and tools for people and organisations to become anti-racist.

The charity work at both a strategic and grassroots level. They have launched projects for young people and are already working with a number of schools, businesses and organisations such as Cumbria Police.

The status was granted by the Charity Commission to enable Anti Racist Cumbria to achieve its Charitable Purposes which are the promotion of equality and diversity and racial harmony for the public benefit in Cumbria by:

• Working towards the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race.

• Promoting knowledge and mutual understanding between different racial groups.

• Advancing education and raising awareness about different racial groups to promote good relations between persons of different racial groups.

The organisation will be regulated by the Charity Commission and will need to report annually. Whilst charitable status comes with additional requirements, one of the benefits is that the organisation can now employ people and three new jobs have already been created. Two are now in post and one of the roles is open for applications right now.

Anti Racist Cumbria are looking for an Operations & Communications Executive to join the organisation which operates an innovative flat-pay structure where all employees are paid the same, though more usual reporting structures remain. Full job description details and how to apply are available on the charity’s website

CEO & Co-Founder Janett Walker said: “This is a key moment for our organisation and will enable us to achieve even more and meet the growing demand for our services. We give thanks to our volunteers for all they have done and continue to do, and especially our Board of Trustees for their support and dedication in helping us reach this point. We look forward to the next chapters of Anti Racist Cumbria and a county which is proud to say that racism in all its forms has no place here.”