Cumbria Community Foundation Pays Tribute to Outgoing Chair and Announces New Appointment
On Wednesday 24 September, 2025, Cumbria Community Foundation, a leading charity in the county, announced the stepping down of its Chair, David Beeby, after almost a decade in the role. Beeby served the maximum nine-year term on the board of trustees and has been integral to the Foundation’s success and growth during his tenure.
Under Beeby’s leadership, the Foundation’s grant making grew from £2 million per year to over £6 million per year, and the endowed assets increased from £15 million to over £32 million. He has been a dedicated and passionate advocate for philanthropy, supporting the board and executive team, and serving as a fund holder and philanthropy advocate.
One of Beeby’s notable contributions during his time as Chair was the creation of the Better Tomorrows Fund, a program that provides grants for professional youth work training and funding for employment of new youth workers. The idea for this fund was inspired by the challenges faced by young people after the Covid-19 pandemic. Since its launch, the Better Tomorrows Fund has trained over 50 accredited youth workers, funded more than 50 new youth work roles, and helped over 5,000 young people across Cumbria.
Cumbria Community Foundation’s Chief Executive, Andy Beeforth, expressed his gratitude to Beeby, saying, “We are all extremely grateful to David for his passion, wisdom, commitment, and generosity in the role of Chair. He saw firsthand the challenges faced by young people in our communities and took action to create the life-changing Better Tomorrows program. He has also been a mentor for our Positive Enterprise program, and devoted much time to meeting with groups throughout the county to better understand their vital role in our communities.”
Beeforth also acknowledged Beeby’s personal contributions through his family fund, which has provided grants to dozens of projects supporting children and young people in the county. He added, “We would like to thank David for all he has done as Chair of the Community Foundation and all the good work he will continue to do through Better Tomorrows and the Beeby Family Fund, addressing the ongoing needs in our communities.”
In his statement, Beeby expressed his appreciation for the Foundation, saying, “Cumbria Community Foundation truly helps to connect people who care with causes that matter in so many wonderful and inspirational ways. It has been a joy to be a part of that journey over the last nine years.” He also thanked the donors, staff, and volunteers who have helped make the Foundation’s work possible, as well as the many inspiring individuals working and volunteering with charitable organizations in Cumbria.
At the Community Foundation’s board meeting on Tuesday, a new Chair was formally appointed – Myles Thompson, of Great Salkeld, near Penrith. Thompson is a former Chartered accountant and audit partner with KPMG, a trustee of the Lake District Calvert Trust, and a member of the Carlisle Cathedral finance committee. He expressed his honor at being appointed as Chair, saying, “The Foundation is a wonderful organization that does so much to support the communities across Cumbria. I am looking forward to finding out more about the great organizations that the Foundation supports and to meet our many supporters across the county.”
Thompson also extended his thanks to Beeby for his dedication to the Foundation over the past nine years, stating, “He has left it in great shape to meet our strategic priorities set out in our 2023 to 2028 strategy.”
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