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FARMING INVESTMENT FUND
Farming Investment Fund – Due to open end of October
Get ready for the launch of the Farming Investment Fund.There will be two grant schemes:
Small grants: The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF). This will be similar to the CP Small Grant scheme and based on standard costs for a range of specified farm equipment
Large grants: The Farming Transformation Fund (FTF) will provide grants towards the cost of more substantial investments with an initial Expression of Interest stage followed by a full application.
The Cumbria Farming Network will circulate details when these schemes are launched, hopefully in the next few weeks.
Contact The Cumbria Farmer Network on 01768 868615 or e-mail: info@thefarmernetwork.co.uk or visit the Facebook group or the Farmer Network website for further, updated information
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University of Cumbria - Advice and information for Businesses and Employers
Advice and information for Businesses
The University of Cumbria have helped hundreds of businesses to realise their potential. They have a wide portfolio of business partners and support services which are designed to give a boost to the business community in Cumbria, North Lancashire and beyond.
See the short animation video for more information... UoC Business help video
Having a friendly and knowlegeable Enterprise and Business Development team which cover the areas of North Lancashire and Cumbria, the UoC stress that there are no geographical limits to whom they work with! They can come to meet you, or you can visit them at one of their campuses in Lancaster and Ambleside, or the large Business Interaction Centre in Carlisle.
If you have any comments or questions on how the University may be able to support you, or any other business related enquiries please email enterprise.services@cumbria.ac.uk
Call 01228 888740 or fill in the contact form here: Contact form
Cumbria Tourism forges Strategic Partnership with Cumbria Community Foundation
 Cumbria Community Foundation has become the first charity to be named as one of Cumbria Tourism's official ‘Strategic Partners’.
As one of the UK’s most prominent Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), Cumbria Tourism’s core network of Strategic Partners draw together collective expertise from across the county to champion effective destination marketing to support businesses, visitors and local communities.
Cumbria Community Foundation, based in Dovenby, near Cockermouth, is a leading, accredited community foundation and provides philanthropic services to individuals, families and organisations – managing more than 100 grant making funds and awarding an average of around £3 million a year.
This new Strategic Partnership between the two organisations reflects the importance of the visitor economy to local people, supporting jobs and prosperity for the county as a whole.
It also means that 10% of the proceeds generated by Cumbria Tourism’s MyCumbria residents’ cards will now be donated directly to Cumbria Community Foundation, to support local good causes.
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All-Electric Battle Bus rolls into Cumbria to highlight climate emergency
 Efforts by Cumbrian businesses and community groups to tackle the climate emergency will be showcased ahead of the United Nations COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
Burneside Community Energy (BCE) Ltd., near Kendal, will become the next stop on the Planet Mark Carbon Battle Bus’s tour of the UK when it rolls into Cumbria on Wednesday, October 13.
The Battle Bus, a 100% electric and emission-free tour bus, is touring the UK, starting from Cornwall’s Eden Project and concluding in Glasgow for COP26, which runs from October 31 to November 12.
Community-led renewable energy is the theme of the Cumbrian visit, which has been co-ordinated by Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) and Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) on behalf of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP).
ZCCP brings together 80 organisations spanning the county’s public, private and third sectors, with the aim of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The Battle Bus’s role is to showcase how the UK’s regional business groups are addressing the climate emergency, spread the zero carbon messages to communities in Cumbria and demonstrate how the county can contribute to the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target.
Representatives from BCE and James Cropper will be on hand to explain how the project evolved and joined by partner organisations working towards the shared aim of making Cumbria the first carbon-neutral county in the UK by 2037.
For further information, please contact Kieran Macfadzean, Marketing and Communications Officer, Cumbria Action for Sustainability, on 07899 856298 (Kieran.Macfadzean@cafs.org.uk) or Lucy Clarke, Communications Manager, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, on 07767 758915 (lucy.clarke@thecumbrialep.co.uk)
The Battle Bus is due to arrive at the Bryce Institute, Burneside (post code LA9 6QX) between 10am and 10.30am on Wednesday, October 13, and is expected to remain for approximately three hours.
Procurement advice
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PEER NETWORKS - Cumbria LEP
Peer Network scheme recruiting businesses keen to innovate.
Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) is now recruiting eligible businesses for a free advice and support programme.
The Peer Network programme is opening a new cohort and is looking to offer guidance, support and advice to businesses looking to develop new ways of thinking and responses to their business challenges – really helping businesses to develop new solutions to the issues that they are facing.
The programme runs from October 2021 to March 2022 and a variety of topics will be covered from further developing your entrepreneurial and finance skills to how to support the wellbeing and motivation of your workforce.
Sessions will take place every fortnight on a Tuesday morning. Other topics will include:
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HR – Hiring and developing talented people; recognising the difference between skills and qualifications; dealing with labour and skills shortages; linking with trainers and colleges.
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Finance – Understanding your company’s financial needs; the importance of being properly capitalised from day one; finding seed funding, development capital, venture capital and investors.
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Communication Skills – how to articulate your business mission; PR and media relations; the critical importance of internal communications; use of social media.
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Sales and Marketing – What’s the difference? Marketing strategies and sales plans and how they must complement each other; understanding your audience and target markets – and how to reach them through the optimal media mix.
The sessions will be led by Jack Stopforth of Taylor Stopforth (Consulting Services), who has worked as CEO/MD and Chair of his own and other people’s businesses and organisations for many years. Jack has lived in Cumbria for 25 years and works as a management consultant across the UK and internationally. He is Chair of the Borderlands Economy Forum and is a member of the Partnership Board of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.
Federation of Small Business Awards
Don’t miss the chance to enter the FSB Awards
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) are celebrating the Small Business Awards 2022 to showcase the best of small business entrepreneurship. It's free to enter and there's an opportunity for national recognition, so what are you waiting for?
The awards are categorised, and will include some of the following: Start-Up Business of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Self-employed/Sole Trader of the Year. Businesses will be judged by a panel of leading business experts with a wealth of experience in their industry.
Being shortlisted as a finalist is a remarkable achievement and a fantastic chance for publicity and exposure, with the awards in many areas trending on social media and in the press. UK-wide winners and finalists are outstanding examples of successful and diverse small businesses, showcasing innovation, ambition, and determination. More details: Small Business Awards
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 below to sign up or find out more.
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Messages from Cumbria Chamber of Commerce
Academic Health Science Network, North East & Cumbria
AHSN NENC, with support from Health Network North, will be delivering a series of online digital inclusion events which will explore health and care system challenges, showcase best practice in digital healthcare and provide a platform for attendees to share knowledge and learning.
The events are aimed at NHS, health and social care, private sector, voluntary organisations and the wider community. The first webinar – ‘No One Left Behind – Improving digital health and care inclusion’ - will take place on Wednesday, 20 October, at 14:30. During the two-hour session the speaker will discuss how access to digital services can be improved, highlight some examples of successful digital inclusion work, and provide a platform for debate on future work within this area. The event will be of particular interest to SMEs across the North East and North Cumbria, cluster networks, NHS innovation leads, health and social care professionals. To register, visit here.
‘Steps to a Confident Self’
When you own your own space and believe in your abilities, not only do we feel great about ourselves, but we also have confidence, courage and drive to go after opportunities we are capable of. Many suffer from imposter syndrome, particularly women which means doubting your abilities and feeling not as competent as others.
To build your confidence skills and overcome your self-doubt, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce alongside Laura Cadman Limited will hold further training specifically for businesswomen. So, to further your understanding on your behaviour and to learn the techniques needed to gain confidence, join us for ‘Steps to a Confident Self’ which will begin on Monday 11th October followed by Monday 18th and Monday 25th October.
Each session will be held from 10am-12pm. You can find out more about the session here. Places are limited on this course so book now to avoid disappointment. Cumbria Chamber members can book this 3-session course for £195+VAT, or the non-member rate is £275+VAT. You can secure your place here.
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New service to help businesses offer apprenticeships
A new government service will help businesses to create more apprenticeship opportunities so more people can get the jobs they want.
Large businesses will be able to easily pledge funds to smaller businesses through a new government service, to help create and recruit for more apprenticeship opportunities.
The online service was rolled out on13 September to make it easier for large employers that pay the Apprenticeship Levy to spend their levy funds.
Large employers can already transfer up to 25% of their annual levy pot to support other employers to take on apprentices. Many employers have already taken advantage of this opportunity including Amazon, Co-op and Lloyds Banking to support other businesses with a funding boost.
The new service will simplify the process for both employers looking to transfer funds and businesses wanting to access funding. Now, levy paying employers can advertise their funding pledges on a dedicated gov.uk page, enabling a much wider range of businesses to browse and apply for available funds. See how: Apprenticeship funding
Apprenticeships are a crucial way of providing people with the chance to retrain, update their skills and move into the growth sectors. By making it easier for employers to benefit from apprenticeships, the new transfer service will contribute to the levelling up agenda, supporting young people to reach their career goals. It will also mean businesses will be able to choose to target their pledges towards sectors and communities they want to support.
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Taste Cumbria is coming to Wigton on 23 October
 
A peek behind the scenes of a Savile Row tailor, an art auction, treasure hunt, street theatre and live music, and a fabulous food market – there’s lots in store for visitors to the new Taste of Wigton festival.
The event takes place in the heart of this pretty market town throughout Saturday, 23 October 2021.
Taste of Wigton, will go beyond just food and drink and also highlight all the businesses and heritage this pretty town has to offer.
The full programme will include FREE ticketed events, see more details here: Taste Cumbria Wigton
Natasha's Law - are you are you complying?
 As of 1st October, new labelling requirements for foods prepared and packaged on the same premises where they are sold (e.g. packaged sandwiches made by staff and placed on shelves for purchase) came into force.
These prepacked for direct sale products (PPDS) require labelling with the food name and a full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised.
Information, guidance, resources and more about what businesses need to know about the new allergen labelling is available from the Food Standards Agency
See also this webinar, created by Cumbria County Council Trading Standards Team as part of the Better Business for all Group, focusing on food labelling, allergens and the change brought in by Natasha’s Law. Food Allergens Webinar
Messages from Cumbria Tourism
Cumbria Dark Skies Festival takes place between the 6th – 14th November 2021
Interested businesses can get involved.
The festival aims celebrate and promote the county’s fantastic stargazing opportunities through an exciting calendar of activities (both in person and virtual) and CT are looking for events to feature in the festival calendar.
The festival will act as a catalyst for the dark skies season, therefore, even if your event doesn’t take place within these dates, or you will be running further events later in the year, then these can still be promoted through Cumbria Tourism, and, should you need any help sourcing someone who could run a session or activity as part of your event then please let them know.
Click on the link here where you can read more about getting involved in the festival should this be of interest and how to submit your event.
Businesses who are interested in developing their dark skies offer can make the most of CT's resources including a self-accreditation charter to help market your business as dark skies friendly. This is free of charge to access and, once completed, you are welcome to use the dark sky friendly logo in your marketing. Members of Cumbria Tourism can also benefit from an additional listing on the Dark Sky Cumbria section on visitlakedistrict.com to promote packages or activities. To access these resources, head to the dark skies business support hub here.
Experiential Tourism
The value of experiential tourism is huge and we know that visitors are increasingly looking for more genuine and authentic experiences as part of their holidays. Promoting new and exciting things to do is also a key part of our destination recovery campaign therefore this autumn Cumbria Tourism are running a couple of workshops to assist businesses in exploring the essential ingredients needed to develop unmissable experiences and identify the opportunities on how they can offer new experiences to reach new markets and increase success. See the information on the two sessions below:
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3rd November 09:30 – 11:00: Introduction into Experiential Tourism: This first session will provide an introduction into ‘Experience Tourism’, where visitors engage in new activities or pursuits to create lasting memories.
Sign up here: Introduction to Experiential Tourism
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8th December 09:30 – 12:00: Experience Maker: In this interactive session we delve deeper into the component needed to develop your experience, identifying the opportunities for new products and opportunities to reach new markets.
Sign up here: Experience Maker
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Allerdale Business Website - advertise your vacancies
Did you know you can advertise your vacancies or apprenticeship opportunities on our Business Website? Click on the image for details.
Digital Tech Cumbria - Showcase Event
 Take part in the Digital Tech Showcase event - it's focused on key sectors for Cumbria
The Virtual Digital Technology Showcase Cumbria event is all set for Thursday 7 October and businesses and members of your teams can register online and take part.
All the current programme and exhibition details are online their our Hopin page - that's the digital platform used for the event and it offers all kinds of tools for speaker talks, interactive Q&A sessions, online networking and a virtual exhibition.
The current speaker programme for the Digital Technology Showcase includes Joan Lind (Trybooking), Ciaran Savage (Card Industry Professionals) and Philippa Glover (CNC Robotics) as well as Allen Camm (Made Smarter), Gill Haigh (Cumbria Tourism) and Michael Wigham (Online Systems). New names are still being added and several speakers will also be leading discussions and Q&A sessions after their presentations.
With the Showcase, an opportunity has been created to find out first hand how the latest digital technology could help you and your business. Speakers will cover the big stuff like robotics and manufacturing as well as offering insights into card payment technology and online ticketing from speakers at the forefront of these developments. The aim is to have something for everyone, focusing on key business sectors for Cumbria.
Find out more, plan your day with the programme and register to Join the Event here.
1-2-1 support continues
At the heart of the Digital Tech Cumbria programme is the 1-2-1 support for businesses. If you've not already expressed an interest or made the most of this offer, the opportunity is still open.
With 6,12 or 18 hours of dedicated support from an expert, you could learn about social media planning and digital marketing, find out about automation of the processes that drive you crazy, explore the potential for digitising your administration - even look at the opportunities in digital manufacturing and robotics with an expert alongside.
If you're an SME based in Cumbria, you're probably eligible - just complete the Expression of Interest form on the website and they willl be in touch.
And, if you're in any doubt about the value of this support to businesses like yours, there's a selection of Digital Heroes videos on the website where past clients tell their stories. Well worth a look.
Good news stories from this week
The new Ritz Cinema in Workington is now open!
The wait is over and what great timing! The Ritz Cinema has opened with the long awaited, full on action 007 movie - No Time to Die (other movies are available)
See their great whistle stop video tour... they're definitely 'putting on the Ritz' The Ritz
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Something spooky this way comes...
Halloween season is almost upon us. What better way to exerience the darker sides of Cockermouth and Keswick than to take a ghost walk?
Lakeland Hauntings Ghost Walks are led by “The Lady”, an elegant character in full Victorian mourning dress. The Lady is played by Jane Dickens; a native Cumbrian and professional actor with 20 years storytelling experience.
The stories have been meticulously researched and are based in local legend, myth, folklore, real events and/or eyewitness accounts.
Intriuged? Take a closer look... if you dare! Lakeland Hauntings
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Community art project underway in Maryport
A community art project in Maryport is underway for an extra special Remembrance Day in the town.The idea is for the community to knit, crochet, felt, paint or make pop bottle poppies to cover the Memorial Gates with poppies this year and make a visually stunning piece of community art.Championing the project, designed to remember Maryport’s women in war, is Diane Robertson who feels that 2020 was very understated because of COVID-19 and wants to try and make the occasion a much bigger one this year.
“In the next few weeks, I will cover the gates with a netting and people can attach their own poppies leading up to the Remembrance Sunday parades and service.”Mrs Robertson has paid a special thanks to local businesses Stitched Up XCX / junk and disorderly, Handmade By You and Signpost for facilitating the making and collection of the poppies for those who are not able to put them up themselves. “Thanks also to Her Citi and Studio Pixel Maryport who are also helping to spread the word in their shops and via their Facebook sites.
Full story from Cumbria Crack: Local businesses and the community pull together.
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Upcoming events
Cumbria Chamber Events
New Managers Bootcamp – 3-session course starting either 26th October, or 2nd December.
If there’s a new manager in your team, this 3-session course will focus on the skills necessary for motivating employees, keeping them productive and committed.
To start Tuesday, 26th October, 10am-1pm, find out more here. To start Thursday, 2nd December, 10am-1pm, find out more here.
Further Cumbria Chamber events and workshops here.
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Cumbria LEP
Manufacturing in Cumbria: Driving Innovation and Growth webinar
Date: October 21st, 08:30 - 10:30
Are you a Cumbrian manufacturing business focused on rethinking your business processes, products and business models to increase your competitive advantage? This event is ideal for you.
Cumbria LEP and Barclays Eagle Labs (Cumbria) are delighted to be co-hosting a session helping you to learn more about a range of grants, funding, support and incentives to help you achieve your plans for growth.
The event will cover various topical themes including:
How to access grant funding
Routes to finance
The benefits of R&D tax credit, patents and other tax incentives
Access to skilled and experienced student researchers
The event is ideal for leaders of manufacturing businesses of all sizes, across the full manufacturing spectrum including food and drink, electronics, healthcare, precision engineering, construction and nuclear.
We have a fantastic line-up of speakers who will share more detail on the support available. Register now.
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Lancashire and Cumbria - Women in Business
Meet with like-minded business owners from across Lancashire & Cumbria to network and discuss the barriers to business facing female entrepreneurs.
Join us to celebrate 3 years of FSB women in business events in the area, and The Growing Club’s 5th birthday, we would like to invite you to a celebratory networking event, with local speakers and cake!
At the Storey Institute, Meeting House Lane Lancaster (a 2 minute walk from the train station) on Thursday 21 October 2021.
Guest Speakers
Elaine Rémy is the founder of Vie’s Jamaican Rum Cakes - The Rummiest Cakes in Cumbria. During her talk, Elaine will share how being a qualified transformational coach who specialises in emotional intelligence and resilience has helped her successfully navigate the ups and downs of her first years in business from selling her first cake just two weeks before the first lockdown to receiving the Start Up Business of the Year Award from the British Business Bank. She will also let you in on her new project for 2022.
Get your tickets here: FSB Women in Business
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Funded by the Welcome Back Fund - funded by ERDF |
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