A family-run charity in Ulverston has competed against 3,000 applicants to earn national funding worth thousands.

Alice's Escapes, which was created in honour of Alice Pyne, shared last week that it had been given £5,000 as part of SPAR'S Community Cashback.

Vicky Pennington-Pyne, who runs the charity in memory of her daughter, received the cheque at the SPAR branch on Mountbarrow Road in Ulverston from retailer Ian Flynn.

Read more: Alice Pyne's wish for annual Ulverston dog show granted | The Mail (nwemail.co.uk)

She said: "We are delighted to receive £5,000 from SPAR.

"I’m a regular in the store and it truly is fantastic to see SPAR supporting small, local charities such as Alice’s Escapes with funding, especially in the current climate, where fundraising is harder than it has ever been.

"A enormous thank you to SPAR, and to both Will Cook and Philippa Harrington of James Hall & Co Ltd."

Victoria runs Alice's Escapes to continue her daughter's wishesVictoria runs Alice's Escapes to continue her daughter's wishes (Image: Newsquest)

James Hall & Co. Ltd, SPAR’s primary retailer, wholesaler and distributor for the North of England, received 3,000 applications for its Community Cashback programme.

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Philippa Harrington, the marketing manager at James Hall & Co, commented: “We had a huge number of entries for the Community Cashback this year and it meant selecting winners of the funding was an incredibly difficult decision-making process.

“Alice’s Escapes stood out because of the impact its work delivers, particularly understanding the back story of how the charity came to be.

"We really hope that the funding is well received by the families who will benefit from it, and it is pleasure to be able to support this wonderful cause.”

Alice, who died in 2013 following a hard-fought battle with cancer, aspired to create a charity that would help sick children to enjoy a family holiday.

To this day, the charity still provides bereavement breaks for those who have lost a child of any age and family escapes for seriously and terminally ill children.