Booths Backs Major Landscape Recovery Project – More Investors Welcome
Tewet Tarn in the Glenderamackin catchment; Image: Rob Grange
An ambitious landscape recovery project in the Lake District has secured major financial backing from two well-known businesses in Keswick: Booths, the much-loved northern supermarket chain, as well as support from holiday letting company, holidaycottages.co.uk. With national attention on this pioneering initiative, now is the time for local businesses to get involved and help strengthen its case for major Government funding.
Resilient Glenderamackin is a transformative catchment-wide project designed to restore natural processes across the landscape - storing water, slowing flood peaks, improving soil health, and supporting nature alongside farming. With up to £65 million in potential DEFRA funding available for the area, securing local business support is vital to ensuring the project is approved later this year.
Booths Leads the Way in Business Support
Booths has demonstrated a major commitment to the project, making it the largest business investor so far. Travel Chapter, which owns the Sally’s Cottages brand holidaycottages.co.uk, the sister brand of Sally’s Cottages, has also pledged support, recognising the importance of flood resilience for the local community and economy.
Thanks to these contributions and other early supporters, the project has now passed the halfway mark towards its £150,000 local business funding target. However, more investment is needed before the final funding proposal is submitted to DEFRA in June 2025.
A Project in the National Spotlight
Resilient Glenderamackin is attracting significant national attention, with policymakers, environmental organisations, and the media closely watching its progress. This is a high-profile opportunity for businesses to align with a pioneering climate and conservation project - one that will set a precedent for future landscape recovery across the UK.
Why Businesses Should Get Involved
By supporting Resilient Glenderamackin, businesses can demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainability and climate action. Those who invest will receive annual impact reports detailing how the project is reducing flood risk, restoring protected habitats, cutting carbon emissions, and enhancing biodiversity.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make Keswick and the surrounding landscape more resilient to climate change, securing the future of both the natural environment and the local economy,” said Vikki Salas, Assistant Director at West Cumbria Rivers Trust.
Katie Gwynne, Head of Risk and Compliance at Booths said, “Booths are highly supportive of this project, seeing a clear need for sustainable initiatives to help mitigate flood risk and prevent the reoccurrence of the devasting floods we have seen in 2005, 2009 and 2015. Catastrophic flooding is happening regularly, and we need to work together to find nature-based solutions to support farming, local communities and local businesses.
We hope by pledging our support, other businesses will consider joining us, to help attract further funding both from government and the private sector.”
Find Out More
Drop-in event: Keswick Moot Hall, 11 March 2025, 10am–4pm – Meet the project team and learn how this initiative will benefit Keswick and beyond
Business Q&A & presentation 12.30-1pm - find out exactly how your business can get involved
Contact: Rosie Simpson at rosemary.simpson@theriverstrust.org for further details or to arrange a meeting
Businesses of all sizes can contribute - any level of support strengthens the case for funding. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a pioneering landscape recovery effort that will shape the future of the Lake District for generations to come.