ACTion are pleased to announce that with the continued ‘Kind’ support of Electricity Northwest Kind Cumbria Day is back for 2021 on Saturday 13th November. Kind Cumbria is all about encouraging people to think about how to be kind to one another. The aim is to create a wave of kindness and show that Cumbria is a really ‘kind’ place to live – the kindest in the UK! 

Kind Cumbria have suggested some ways you can present kindness in the workplace:

• Deliver Kindness to someone that helped you during the pandemic - from a neighbour to the postman
• Kind Cumbria Day award – awarded to someone who has shown great kindness or done a good deed that was inspiring
• Create a "Kindness Wall" where all your colleagues can write down their own ideas about Kindness If you work in a communal space invite others for lunch
• Bring in treats for your colleagues
• Send out a Kindness Day email to everyone in the company/organisation showing your appreciation for their hard work
• Raise money for a local/your preferred charity Organise an office treat such as a company breakfast or lunch for your staff e.g. champagne breakfast or order pizza for lunch
• Offer Kindness Day discounts, extras or ‘freebies’ to your clients or customers ‘Winter Warmers’ donation event – Ask everyone to bring in coats, blankets and towels they do not need anymore and give all the donated ‘winter warmers’ to a homeless or animal shelter charity
• Kindness Packages – create boxes filled with goodies e.g. tinned food, cosmetics etc. Take the boxes to the needy in your community or to a food bank
• Put a handwritten note in a package or carrier bag
• Send Out “Just Because” discount codes
• Give unexpected gifts to employees who provide great service
• Clean up an area outside your office

Find out more

Allerdale’s Market Trader of the Year award has this year been won by Andrew Byrne from the Pepper Bags stall in Keswick.

Andrew has been trading on Keswick market for 20 years on Thursdays and Saturdays, selling bags, purses, wallets, belts, gloves, rucksacks, bum-bags and leather bags.

Allerdale Borough Council holds regular markets in Keswick, Wigton, Workington, and Silloth. The award is open to all the traders on each of the markets in the Borough, and has previously been won by stallholders operating in Keswick as well as Workington. The award recognises the particular contribution of stallholders to the continued success of the markets in Allerdale.

This year the award recognises Andrew’s role as Chair of the new Market Traders Forum that has representatives from all Allerdale’s markets. The forum provides an opportunity to raise any feedback from the traders to make improvements to the way the markets are run.

Want to apply for a stall?

Find out more

As a business or organisation, do you understand the needs of breastfeeding mothers? Want to support breastfeeding families feel confident out and about whilst raising your business profile?

Then make your business breastfeeding friendly for customers.

Sign up to the local breastfeeding friendly scheme to show your commitment to welcoming and supporting breastfeeding families. You will receive a recognisable sticker that families look out for and an information guide to share with your staff and volunteers about why breastfeeding is important and the law around it. Your business or organisation will be promoted and shared on Family Action’s website and newsletters where families will be able to search for venues who have joined the scheme.

 As a business supporting breastfeeding, you play a key role in creating an ethical, supportive environment for customers. Sign up today to show your commitment and join the growing list of businesses and organisations who support breastfeeding. Email elaine.lewis@cumbria.gov.uk  to sign up or for more information.

We are encouraging eligible local businesses to apply for a new version of a government-backed grant made available to those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.      

A relaunched Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) became available from Monday, October 18^th for eligible businesses who can demonstrate that Covid-19 restrictions and regulations reduced their turnover in the financial year 2020/21 compared to 2019/20. 

This is the third time the ARG scheme has been in operation since the start of the pandemic and is open to businesses who have not made an application for, or have not received, a grant through any earlier Covid business grant schemes administered by Allerdale Borough Council. Businesses must have traded throughout the financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21. 

Grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 may be available to eligible businesses depending on how much their turnover has been affected. 

 The ARG funding is to support those businesses who have been severely impacted by restrictions and were not eligible for any of the previous Covid business support grants administered by Allerdale Borough Council.  

The last date for receipt of applications for this final round grant scheme is 12pm on Friday, 12 November, 2021. To apply, and see a full description of the eligibility criteria, should  visit our website here

Read more

Don't Forget to enter for the Small Business awards 2022. As the largest event of its kind in the small business calendar, the high-profile FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards are free to enter and open to all. Celebrating Small Business Awards will be taking place at The Midland Manchester on 11 March 2022. Make sure you enter now

Find out more

Local Skills Improvement Plan

LSIPs are a new initiative from the Department for Education, currently being piloted by eight Chambers of Commerce nationally, of which Cumbria Chamber is one. The LSIP needs us all to play our part if it’s going to be really effective so please do get involved.

Find out more

Help in the Energy Crisis

Chamber Utilities member service can offer help and advice to businesses worried about their business energy provider. The Chamber Utilities service provider, has already saved £1,000s for customers affected by the collapse of some suppliers.

Find out more

The Northern Strategic Employers Group

The Northern Strategic Employers Group (NSEG) is a new initiative from Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and has been set up for large employers to discuss issues, challenges and opportunities with other businesses and organisations. The initial meeting will be on the Borderlands Initiative and we’ll be joined by Jack Stopforth MBE who’s Chair of the Borderlands Economic Forum. At future meetings, the group can discuss a range of initiatives and changes relevant to local businesses. Businesses are currently facing a perfect storm of challenges around recovery from the COVID crisis, post-Brexit trading, supply chain issues and the need to move to net-zero so there’s lots to be discussed at the meetings.

Find out more

Cumbria Tourism (CT) have launched their latest Business Tracker Survey HERE to gain understanding on how businesses have performed this year and how you’re feeling as you look ahead to 2022.

If you have concerns about forward booking levels, staffing challenges, sustainability/carbon zero or general business confidence, now is the time to let CT know! Carried out in conjunction with our Strategic Partners Lamont Pridmore, it’s also a chance to tell us more about your guests so far this year and their changing visitor behaviours. Your feedback will help shape CT's activity, support and calls for action going forward. Your responses are anonymous and the form is quick and easy to complete. We will share the results at our November’s Members Meeting and via a future member newsletter

Engineering firm takes first steps to become carbon neutral

Forth Engineering, based in Maryport, has been recognised for taking steps to turn its fleet of commercial vehicles fully electric as part of its aims of becoming carbon neutral. They have started by replacing two of its fossil fuel vehicles with environmentally friendly electric vehicles. Graham Cartwright, Forth’s projects director, said: We feel, as a company, that we all should be doing our bit for the environment, and we are considering what steps we can take to hit our target of becoming carbon neutral. They hope that this step will help encourage other companies to begin their journey in becoming environmentally friendly.

Read the full story here

Workington care provider rolls out hundreds of mobile devices in aims to become green

The company Bellcare has embarked on a ‘wonderfully’ green future that begins with the rollout of hundreds of devices. The company was printing excessive amounts of paper, documents which were of great importance but just at a very large volume, and they wanted an alternative to this. All employees now have smartphones with the software installed for them to electronically carry out most of their work.

Read the full story here

Department of International trade

Export Academy (19^th November)

A training course for micro and small businesses starting on the journey to exporting is offering two new options, an in person full day session in Preston on  Register Here

Europe Trade Month (2-26^th November)

There are over 20 events in the programme involving business opportunities by sector and national/regional markets, tips on exporting to Europe under the new trading arrangements and meet the adviser sessions with colleagues across the various markets. Find out more

International Trade Week (15^th-19^th November)

A series of events will be taking place to help business sell globally and connect with trade industry experts. From doing business in the USA, Singapore, Middle East, India, Australia and New Zealand. Find out more

Digital Tech Cumbria

Social Media Strategy - 30th November 2021, 10am Book Here

How to use Facebook in your business - 7th December 2021, 10am Book Here

Using Twitter to connect your business - 14th December 2021, 10am Book Here