If you want to help inspire the next generation, then they'd love to hear from you.

The Inspira programme,The Link, is looking to build a network of small and medium sized employers to work with schools and young people across Cumbria, to help them understand the world of work and make informed choices on their future careers.

This exciting project brings employers into the educational environment through a wide range of activities aimed at increasing the number of opportunities young people have to learn from employers, the skills that are valued in the workplace and the career choices available.

Examples of the kinds of activities your business can get involved with include:

• world of work events
• mock interviews
• speed networking
• interactive workshops
• careers fairs
• project work
• work experience
• remote live Q&A sessions
• apprenticeship advice
• mentoring

Apart from helping to inspire the next generation, being a business volunteer for The Link has benefits for you too, from showcasing your business and its career opportunities to demonstrating your commitment to corporate social responsibility along with the chance to engage with young people from a range of different backgrounds.

For more details contact: Vicky.Ritson@inspira.org.uk

Inspira - The Link

Recovery Ready 

The FSB been behind you every step of the way during COVID-19. Over the past 12 months, FSB has supported record numbers of small businesses and the self-employed across the UK. They secured over £100 billion in much-needed financial support, answered 147,000 legal advice line calls, hosted 2,600 online events, connected 65,000 small business owners, offered one-to-one support – and so much more.

As we enter the next phase, we’re here to support you through business recovery and growth. With challenges like the end of furlough, managing cash flow and rising costs on the horizon, our new hub is home to free resources and guides designed to help you thrive and grow this summer. Click on the recovery ready link below to find out more.

FSB and Allerdale Borough Council are working together to offer subsidised membership to small businesses. All the benefits at an exclusive price.

For a limited time, you can get the full benefit FSB membership at a subsidised rate. Businesses can benefit from £80 off the normal price of joining FSB in their first year, thanks to a collaboration between FSB and Allerdale Borough Council. Click the link to sign up or find out more. FSB - Allerdale offer

FSB are recovery ready!

Local Skills Improvement Plan

Cumbria Chamber of Commerce has been appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) as a Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Trailblazer. This followed a bidding opportunity earlier this year, open to any Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs), with all eight Trailblazers awarded to Chambers of Commerce.

The aim of LSIPs is to put employers at the heart of local skills programmes, seeking to ensure a responsive local skills system and the right skills provision to meet the needs of employers now and moving forward. This will involve engaging actively and effectively with both employers and providers.

The LSIP pilots have to be delivered by March, which doesn’t give us long! Although the team is obviously hoping that the pilot will lead to longer term activity.

Here in Cumbria we’re starting from a really positive base. Almost all of the other business representative organisations active in the county have readily agreed to work with the Chamber to deliver this – Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, CBI, CITB, Cumbria Tourism, the CLA, the Farmer Network and the NFU. Local providers and other stakeholders are also keen to work together. We’ll also be approaching local business groups such as Chambers of Trade and local networks.

At the moment the Chamber is working on finalising plans and budgets, agreeing them with DfE and putting together a steering group and delivery team. As businesses you’ll be key to the LSIP. So please when they, and other organisations, come out with opportunities to engage – whether surveys, 1-2-1 discussions, focus groups or events – please do get involved. The Chamber needs your active input to make this work for Cumbria!

Local skills improvement plan trailblazer

In addition, the Chamber has an exciting opportunity for a Business Engagement (policy) Manager to join the team. The role will require driving engagement with businesses, running and developing political/lobby groups and implementing engaging content and communications. They are open as to how we’ll fill the role, so if you know of a recent graduate looking for an opportunity, or someone who has relevant experience then please forward this email on.

You can find out more here.

To access free Cumbria Chamber of Commerce membership in association with Allerdale Borough Council, please click here.

Ways to get involved in #theperfectplacetobe this autumn

You may have seen the CT team out and about at the Westmorland County Show to launch the latest stage of #theperfectplacetobe Recovery Marketing campaign, aimed at supporting CT members through the crucial autumn and winter months.
Activity will focus on inspiring autumn/winter visits, building consumer confidence and generating forward bookings both in the run-up to Christmas and into 2022.

Support ‘Love Culture Fortnight’ (running until Sun 19 Sept)
To coincide with Heritage Open Days, CT are celebrating the world-class range of museums, galleries, heritage sites, cinemas and cultural organisations we have across the Lake District, Cumbria through #LoveCultureFortnight. If you’re running cultural, arts or heritage themed events then make sure you promote these through the popular ‘What’s On’ page.

Get free training for your business
Looking to expand into international markets or to grow your domestic and international sales? CT are teaming up with VisitEngland to invite you to ‘Take England to the World’ this autumn, with a virtual training programme to help your business get ready for overseas visitors and better understand the new domestic landscape.
Developed as part of the Government’s Discover England Fund, these courses are spread over three weekly sessions and will cover: 

• Inbound and domestic tourism
• Common obstacles to market
• Meet the markets
• Defining your product offering
• The travel distribution system
• Building powerful relationships
• Pricing your tourism product
• Creating engaging content

Learn more and book your place here.

Meanwhile, the value of experiential tourism is huge and promoting unique and exciting will be an amazing campaign. Working with Unmissable England, CT will be running two sessions:

• Introduction into Experiential Tourism’ (6 Oct).
• Experience Maker (3 Nov), delving deeper into the components needed to launch your experience

Please do save the dates - further details on these two sessions coming very soon.

Wigton Town Council - Announcement

After long discussions over the uncertainties of COVID and how it will develop during the autumn, Wigton Town Council has made the decision not to hold a large-scale event this year in the High Street at the time of the switching on of the lights.

The good news is that the Council has purchased new and improved Christmas lights for the centre of the town, to be switched on by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor on Sunday 28th November at 5.30pm

In addition, they have funds available for community groups and estates or streets who may be organising their own event – so please get in touch with them as they may be able to help you financially. 

The Festivals Committee next meet on 18^th October, at 6.30pm in Wigton Market Hall so do please go along. They would love to hear your suggestions and ideas.

Wigton Town Council will also be running a competition for the best festive decorated house and shop window.

Looking forward to 2022, as well as the return of “Spring Fling” they plan to hold a major event on Saturday, 4^th June to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee as well as the return of the “Live at The Fountain” Christmas Extravaganza.

Wigton Town Council

NHS North Cumbria CCG is holding a webinar on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday September 21 between 4-5pm.

There will be an overview of the covid vaccination programme and their CCG lead Pharmacist Helena Gregory will cover some of the issues related to it.

There will also be the chance to hear how to approach and structure conversations with staff with Wellbeing Activator Sarah Linnard.

There are now many opportunities to get your first or second jab through the national booking system here. Or at drop-ins advertised locally – you can find info here: Drop ins

To book a place please email communications.team@northcumbriaccg.nhs.uk
It would be helpful to mention any specific issues or areas you are hearing from staff so they can make sure we answer queries effectively. They will then send you a Teams invite. The session will be really informal and is to help you encourage staff to see the benefits of being double jabbed. 

Natasha’s Law is soon to be coming into effect on 1 October 2021. The Law will ensure stricter regulations for businesses when labelling prepacked food. Businesses will now have to provide a full ingredients list on pre-packed food to benefit the people who do suffer with allergies.

Leading up to the new law coming into place, The Cumbria Better Business for All group will be holding an online event and welcoming any businesses and organizations that need to learn more about the new law. During the webinar we will have members from the Cumbria Trading Standards on a live chat to answer any questions you may have!

There will be an option of two webinars to attend, either on 22 September 2021 at 18:30 and 23 September at 14:00.

If your business will be affected by this law and you would like to join the online training course, then please register your interest using the following link

Book Here

Allerdale Borough Council continues to support businesses through this next important phase of the Covid19 pandemic. 

Businesses still have a legal duty to manage risks to those affected by their business. The way to do this is to carry out a health and safety risk assessment, including the risk of COVID-19, and to take reasonable steps to mitigate the risks you identify.

Ventilation is the process of introducing fresh air into indoor spaces while removing stale air. Letting fresh air into indoor spaces can help remove air that contains virus particles and prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

There are simple steps you can take to make sure your workplace is adequately ventilated without being too cold. This ‘Ventilation in the workplace’ guidance will provide advice on sensible precautions employers can take to manage risk and support their staff and customers through the lower temperatures of the Autumn and Winter months ahead.

Read More

Stroke survivor to help others at ground-breaking Lake District centre

Rob Morris was just 29 when his life changed forever eight years ago when he suffered a stroke. In-Cumbria reported this incredible story of how he took on a new challenge, moving to the Lake District and joining the Calvert Trust as an outdoor activity instructor working with people who have disabilities.

Recognising Rob’s talent and passion, The Lake District Calvert Trust offered him a new role as a Development Officer at Calvert Reconnections - its new residential neurorehabilitation centre for people with post-acute, acquired brain injury.

The fully accessible centre is based within a beautifully adapted Grade ll listed building in Keswick and combines traditional clinical therapies with rehabilitation through the specialist use of outdoor activities. It is the first time this approach has been used in the UK.

Read Rob's inspirational story at In-Cumbria: here.

See more about the amazing work at Calvert Reconnections: here.

The demonstration was held in conjunction with US manufacturer Boston Dynamics, Cumbria-based engineering consultant Createc (Cockermouth) and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA.) More details on GOV.UK here.

Check the amazing video demonstration featuring Spot here.

See the story of the evolution of Spot here: Spot

Cycling star’s trophies donated to Cumbrian association 

Cumbria Crack reported a timely donation to Carlisle Cycling Association of trophies won in the 1950s and 60s by star of the sport, Alex Hendry - a professional cyclist who rode for Scotland and Great Britain and won many races on both the road and track in his prime.

The largest trophy is The Hope Trophy, which was more commonly known as the Keswick Cup, presented to Keswick Sports in 1949 by Lieutenant Colonel P. M. Hope, to be awarded to the winner of the three-mile grass-track cycle race which was regarded as the unofficial British championship by cyclists at the time.

Alex’s son donated the trophies when he read about the Solway Coast Festival of Cycling which happened on Saturday and included grass-track racing. 

CCA Secretary, Fiona Graham said that when the opportunity arose to run some racing as part of the new Solway Coast festival at Silloth, it was too good a chance to pass over.

Cumbria Chamber Events

Excel training with Lake Mill Consulting (in person training 

Introduction to Excel – Wednesday, 6th October 2021 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at Carlisle Racecourse.Book Here

Advanced Excel – Wednesday, 1^st December, 9am-4pm, Carlisle Racecourse. more.

First Aid at Work Qualification – Blended course – Carlisle Racecourse, Monday 27th September – With Skills Shop and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce Book here.

Further Cumbria Chamber events and workshops here.

Cumbria Business Growth Hub events for Allerdale businesses

We have one more workshop running in September:

Tuesday 23^rd Sept – 2.30pm to 5pm 

Handling customer complaints:  Link to event

We have two workshops running in October:

Tuesday 5^th Oct – 10am to 1pm

An introduction to digital marketing: Link to event

Thursday 14^th Oct – 2pm to 5pm

Increase the profitability of your accommodation business: Link to event

Cumbria LEP

Thursday 7 October – 14.00 – 16.00

Productivity

All the moving parts of a business are supposed to support its productivity. The processes, people, systems and priorities are all there to help achieve whatever the ultimate goals of the business are.

But this can be difficult to get right. Things grow arms and legs and develop a life of their own. Keeping a business streamlined is exceptionally difficult to maintain.

 In this practical 2-hour workshop you will:

•       Hear about practical ways in which business leaders can plan and communicate                  priorities.

•       Learn how to run meetings for maximum alignment for productivity.

•       Discover the importance of having both quick fixes and system repair.

•       Consider your own business and any changes you may wish to make.

 Please Register here: Productivity