Upfront Arts Venue Flood Relief Support

Help Rebuild After Flooding

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Supporters,

On Thursday 22nd May Upfront Arts Venue, Upfront holiday rental cottage and the onsite residence of the Parkinson family was badly flooded due to the extreme weather and water run off from the farmers fields surrounding us. We have lost valuable time and energy in trying to rescue our business, home and sanity. 



Upfront has been operational since 1997 providing arts, music and culture to a part of England which is deprived of such activity. 
My family and I work full time with very little funding to create one of Cumbria’s only independent art venues. 



Due to the increased costs in utility bills and mortgage payments we do not have extra money available to cover the loss of earnings, the excess on three insurance policies and the items not covered via insurance. The financial strain from repairing and restoring our home and business is immense and threatens the stability of Upfront, our home, and our livelihood. We are in urgent need of assistance to recover and rebuild.

The GoFundMe money will be used to cover the immediate costs we have incurred in the past week. Here is a list of items we are hoping for support with:

1. Payment for staff and extra help to tidy up, pump/clear out the water, remove carpets, gallery flooring, furniture, and broken electrical items such as freezers and washing machines.

2. Excess insurance costs that we have to cover in advance to get three insurance policies to pay out.

3. Hiring a skip to remove rubbish.

4. Compensation for two days' loss of earnings in the arts venue.

5. Compensation for the loss of earnings from a live music event we had to cancel as the space is not ready.

6. Replacing broken goods that are not covered by insurance.

We understand that times are tough for everyone, and we truly appreciate any help you can provide. Whether it’s a donation or sharing our story, your support means the world to us. Every little bit helps, and we are immensely grateful for your generosity and kindness during this testing time.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for considering supporting our journey to recovery. With your help, we hope to rebuild our home, restore our business, and regain a sense of normalcy in our lives.