OUR PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Society's charitable purposes are to promote and encourage the public study of British family history, genealogy, heraldry and local history with particular reference to Cumbria; to promote the preservation, security and accessibility of archival material. The modern county of Cumbria includes the historical counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, the Furness district of Lancashire and the Sedbergh district of Yorkshire. The Charity Commission website lists our activities as "Education/training and Environment/conservation/heritage though making grants to organisations and sponsoring or undertaking research and providing services to the general public or other defined groups such as the County Archives". Membership is open to all, without restriction, on payment of an annual subscription.

In the exercise of its responsibilities, the Society acts through its Trustees and Council, its works are in general made available to the general public via publications. Significant work has been carried out in transcribing historical county records which include wills, censuses, church registers and monumental inscriptions as well as the purchase of and cataloging of legal document collections.

The Society constantly monitors its public benefit contribution setting up as appropriate particular public benefit projects, or supporting other organisations or bodies as deemed appropriate and in line with the resources available to and held by the Society.