BEC shortlisted for Best Community Involvement at the 2026 in-Cumbria Awards

We are delighted to share that BEC has been announced as a finalist in the in-Cumbria Awards 2026 for Best Community Involvement.

It has already been a landmark year for BEC, with several major milestones achieved across our projects and developments. What makes this nomination particularly special is that each success has been driven by our commitment to supporting and strengthening local communities.

From the opening of LEVELS in January and Revive Furniture Recycling facility in March, to the Bus Station development celebrating its fifth anniversary in May, we have continued to deliver projects that create lasting social and economic value across West Cumbria. Meanwhile, Pioneer Park is continuing to drive forward transformational change and investment opportunities for the region.

As we look ahead, our focus remains on delivering initiatives that make a meaningful difference to the people, communities and economy of West Cumbria.

We are especially proud of our Kick Start Grants Programme, funded by Sellafield SiX, which delivers meaningful and measurable impact across the West Cumbrian area. Through this, and the support of our partners, BEC has been able to support local organisations and individuals to deliver projects that promote wellbeing, reduce isolation, create opportunities for the younger generations and also strengthen community connections within the area.

Kickstart offers small, flexible grants up to £1,000 to allow community organisations to pilot new ideas, increase participation and establish stronger partnerships. In the past year alone, 55 projects have been funded which have supported more than 1,000 local people, including young people, older adults, autistic adults, disabled volunteers, women accessing sport, families with young children, as well as people who were experiencing digital exclusion. The programme has also shown the significant impact of relatively small investments.

As Social Impact property developers, we recognise that creating lasting community impact is so much more than just the projects themselves. By creating more opportunities for people in our community, we’re bringing people together and seeing how powerful contribution and collaboration can be.

Our CEO Michael Pemberton is delighted at the news “What a year 2026 has been for BEC so far. From The Bus Station celebrating its fifth anniversary, to opening LEVELS and Revive, alongside the continued progress of Pioneer Park, we’ve remained focused on delivering projects that create lasting social and economic value for communities across West Cumbria.

“Community impact sits at the heart of what we do, so to see that work recognised through the Best Community Involvement shortlist is something the whole team can be incredibly proud of."

We also couldn’t do what we do without engaging with and being supported by our community partners: the NDA, Cumberland Council, Sellafield Ltd through their Social Impact programme SiX and the The National Lottery, just to name a few.

We would like to extend our congratulations to the other finalists in all categories, and we are very much looking forward to celebrating the amazing businesses, individuals and communities here in Cumbria at the awards ceremony this November.

Whatever the result may be, we are extremely proud to have been recognised for our commitment to our community.