Hello and welcome to our autumn Environment and Climate Newsletter!
Since adopting the strategy in July we moved into delivery, working across our Directorates and partnerships to make a difference for climate and nature. This edition of our newsletter demonstrates this progress, with updates on community climate grants, internal and external upcoming events and any new progress made on various local projects.
In this issue, we delve into innovative projects and initiatives led by our partners, highlighting the creative approaches they are taking to address pressing environmental challenges. We also feature the latest research and reports that explore trends in climate science and sustainability.
Through this regular newsletter we will keep you informed on all the programmes in the strategy throughout the year.
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Volunteers and Year 3 students in Brampton are working to transform parts of Irthing Park into a vibrant wildflower meadow, benefiting pollinators, insects, and local wildlife. Residents, led by Brampton Green and Wild, are sowing a variety of native British seeds to create a thriving habitat.
This initiative is a collaboration between local residents, Cumberland Council, and Cumbria Wildlife Trust's "Get Cumbria Buzzing, Not Buffering" project, funded by Fibrus broadband. Organiser Lisa Bennington expressed her delight at the community coming together to enhance the park for everyone.
Lisa noted the project's educational benefits for nearby children, encouraging them to learn about and appreciate local wildlife. After approaching Cumberland Council to leave parts of the field uncut, local support grew, leading to a partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
As native wildflower meadows and insect populations decline, this effort aims to help reverse that trend, supporting a diverse ecosystem for wildlife like hedgehogs, bats, and the red-listed swifts of Brampton.
Image is of the volunteers who helped on this project
Last month, some team members attended a Strategic Flood Partnership Workshop event which Westmorland and Furness Council were hosting and facilitating alongside Cumberland Council on behalf of the Risk Management Authorities (RMAs).
RMAs have responsibility for managing the risk of flooding and coastal erosion across Cumbria. Feedback from the event will help to develop how flood and coastal erosion risk management actions are delivered locally. Thanks to all who joined us including the Environment Agency, Natural England, United Utilities, Lake District National Park, as well as representatives from local action, response and emergency groups across the county.
Image is of the Strategic Flood Partnership Workshop
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In October the Marine Management Organisation are hosting workshops to explore the ways in which the people who live, work and visit Allonby Bay enjoy recreational activities on the coastline, in the sea and inshore marine areas.
Image is of two small birds standing on the shore of the sea
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along to our South Cumberland Community Panel environment-themed event last week.
Panel members were delighted to see more than 50 people attend the event at Egremont Market Hall. They were treated to an update on the King Charles III Coastal Path, then enjoyed coffee and a chance to chat to around 14 organisations.
The emphasis was on nature, countryside and the environment. Attending organisations included Haverigg Inshore Rescue team, for whom the Community Panel recently funded training and equipment, and Raise: Cumbria Community Forest, who gave an update about their plans to plant trees at the former Ehenside School site in Cleator Moor this autumn.
West Lakeland Farmer-led Nature Recovery group, Forestry England, Good Lives, Growing Well, West Cumbria Rivers Trust and Cumbria Wildlife Trust were also there to answer questions, along with our own waste team. Residents heard about the Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy and its aims to create resilient, connected habitats, and improve biodiversity. The South Cumberland Community Panel covers the wards of Gosforth, Millom, Millom Without, Cleator Moor East and Frizington, Cleator Moor West and Egremont.
Image is of the rescue team stand at the South Cumberland community panel event
The Community Panels and their priorities provide an opportunity to link actions to the places that matter most to our communities, their neighbourhoods, villages and towns. So far, the panels have offered over £100,000 in funding to organisations for projects that will make a difference for climate and nature by:
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Improving access and biodiversity
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Providing outdoor learning sessions and community activities
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Providing energy efficiency measures in community buildings and supporting community hubs
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Protecting and conserving red squirrels
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Enabling a future play area and community orchard
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Supporting a safe cycleway and cycle parking
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Providing healthy lunches in warm spots during winter months
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Providing gardening and cooking equipment for community groups
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Funding for an allotment society to buy an orchard for community ownership
The panels have different deadlines by which you may need to apply - please check the individual Community Panel's page for the deadlines
Image is of the logo for the Cumberland Community Panels
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£5,000 was given to Port Carlisle Bowling Club towards solar panels and battery storage. This will help the financial stability of the club, and allow it to form a Community Renewable Group to demonstrate and promote solar energy use.
The Rebuild Site CIC has now opened a second shop in Cumbria in Workington. For now, they are open 10am-4pm Wednesdays from a temporary location in the old Cumberland Building Society on Murray Road, Workington. They hope to have a larger location open more days soon. Give them a follow on Facebook or Instagram and pop in to meet the team one Wednesday. They also are running sustainable skills workshops in both Carlisle and Workington.
Image is of the team at the new Rebuild site
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 Cumbria Wildlife Trust has received planning permission for a peatland restoration project on Bowness Common. In partnership with the landowners; Natural England and the RSPB, they aim to carry out a programme of restoration techniques aimed at raising the water level within the degraded peat. Bowness Common is one of the largest active raised bogs in England, but has been damaged through historical peat cutting, artificial drainage and encroachment of trees and shrubs. The work will block a large drainage ditch, install deep trench bunds and clear scrub, which will reduce water loss from the peat which in turn will lead to the improvement of conditions for sphagnum mosses and other specialised plants to grow.
The aims of the project aim to prevent drying of the peat, a major source of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and eventually for the creation of peat which will sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Additional benefits include an improvement in biodiversity, water quality and flood risk. The project has also involved volunteers taking part of a geophysical archaeological survey of the drumlin in the centre of the site, as well as peat cores being taken to study the paleoecology preserved in the remaining good quality peat, providing a window into how the bog has changed over the previous thousands of years. The work will be carried out in the coming months, outside of ground nesting bird season, by local, experienced contractors.
Image is an aerial shot of Rogersceugh
Following Cumberland Council’s Executive meeting on 17 September, a decision has been made regarding the proposed Fleet Strategy. The Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places Portfolio Holder presented the strategy, outlining a corporate approach to managing the council’s fleet of vehicles,plant, and machinery. The strategy includes a Green Fleet Action Plan with four key objectives, and progress will be monitored accordingly.
The plan aims to modernise the fleet, maximise efficiency, and support service delivery for Cumberland’s people and businesses. Fleet assets will be treated as a single, corporate resource, allowing for flexible use across services, reducing external fleet hire, and supporting broader council priorities.
The Executive approved the strategy in principle, subject to review by the Business and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee. If no major changes are requested, the Director of Resources will finalise and approve the strategy.
Image of some of the fleet vehicles
Zero Carbon Cumbria are launching their final push on the Zero Carbon Cumbria programme Community Climate Grants, including a new opportunity to bid for funding towards the development of a community renewable energy scheme. The deadline for applications is midnight Sunday 24 November.
They are keen to hear ideas from not-for-profit groups tackling a range of issues from energy use, local food growing, waste reduction and promotion of the circular economy, to sustainable transport options, and are excited to be able to extend support to community renewable energy schemes too. Funding of up to £15,000 is available for community renewable energy schemes, and up to £10,000 is available to support projects tackling other aspects of sustainable living.
Image of the Community Climate Grants logo
The "Get Cumbria Buzzing, Not Buffering" project unites Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Fibrus broadband to inspire communities across Cumbria to take action for local pollinators. From 2023 to the end of 2025, we will create or restore flower-rich habitats in 15 community green spaces, ensuring they thrive as pollinator havens for years to come.
The initiative includes community planting sessions and pollinator identification days, with 1,500 packets of Cumbrian wildflower seeds distributed to local communities. This project has been made possible by a generous £150,000 contribution from Fibrus broadband, part of the Hyperfast GB initiative bringing Full Fibre broadband to Cumbria.
Fibrus is dedicated to environmental sustainability and is thrilled to support the Cumbria Wildlife Trust in this important project, which aims to restore vital habitats, enhance the natural environment, and contribute to the fight against climate change while engaging the local community.
Image of a bumble bee
A recent poll of 2,000 people, commissioned by DS Smith and conducted by OnePoll.com, found that Gen Z (the generation of people born between the late 1990s and early 2010) is the least likely generation to recycle properly, despite the perception of being eco-conscious. Only 19% of Gen Z reported recycling all their paper and cardboard, compared to 54% of Boomers (who are the demographic cohort preceded by the Silent Generation and followed by Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964 during the mid-20th century baby boom).
Participants from Gen Z cited several barriers to recycling, including the lack of recycling bins in public spaces, insufficient knowledge, and concerns about contamination, particularly with meat packaging. Alarmingly, 92% admitted to tossing items in the bin rather than cleaning them for recycling.
Confusion over what can and can’t be recycled was common, with 53% of Gen Z expressing uncertainty. DS Smith noted that food waste and plastic bags often end up in the wrong bins among those under 27. The research highlights a need for better education across all generations to improve the UK’s stagnating recycling rates. To read more, please click here.
Image of the recycling logo
Everyone is welcome at FREE Waste Less Food Together event taking place on Thursday 24 October 9.30am – 3.30pm at the Oval Centre, Salterbeck, Workington CA14 5HA.
The morning session will be a networking session to update new and existing Westogether members on what's going on re climate and nature in the west of Cumbria. (Come and join us if you’re not already involved!).
In the afternoon, Cumberland waste reduction team will provide an interactive training session tackling issues around food waste, building on the ‘love food, hate waste’ campaign. The training is targeted at people working in adult education, community development workers, health and wellbeing officers, social prescribers, care navigators within the health service with the aim for learning to be cascaded to other organisations / individuals.
There will be sessions around planning your meals, shopping, date labels, storage, batch cooking and tricks for using up leftovers. Printed materials will be provided / pdfs circulated for people as reference materials to use in the community as part of Cumberland's sustainable food agenda.
Image is of the event details
Electric Vehicles (EV) are the future, and Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) wants to make sure Cumbria is ready for the transition. Electric Vehicles Made Easy is designed to support Cumbrians navigate the switch to EVs and they need your help!
Whether you are an EV driver, thinking of getting one, or don’t know where to start, share your views and experiences through their quick survey and be in with a chance of winning a £50 Basecamp North Lakes voucher.
Our strategy for Electric Vehicles (EV) involves infrastructure development, incentive programs, public awareness campaigns, fleet electrification, collaboration with businesses, policy support, research and development, and integration with renewable energy.
Earlier this month some team members attended a Climate Fresk workshop. The Climate Fresk course aims to help people understand climate science using established facts while encouraging them to take ownership of the climate challenge. Using a collaborative learning approach, the workshops encourage active involvement, enabling participants to explore the connections between the causes and effects of climate change. This approach leads to open, positive discussions about solutions, giving everyone the knowledge and tools they need to act on climate issues. Overall, the course aims to equip participants with the knowledge and confidence needed to address climate issues effectively.
The Travel Actively Fund (TAF) is part of the Travel Actively programme and aims to encourage and enable people to be more active by cycling, walking, and wheeling (using scooters, wheelchairs) for everyday journeys.
It can be applied for by any organisation within Barrow or Carlisle that works with, or plans to work with:
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Older adults (60 years old and older)
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People with a disability or with a long-term health condition(s)
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People from poorest communities
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People from ethnically diverse backgrounds
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Children and young people
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People socially prescribed or signposted
Image of the Travel Actively logo
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Community groups and organisations across Cumbria are once again being offered financial support to help people keep warm over winter.
Working in partnership with Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumbria Community Foundation is offering grants of up to £500 from the Warm Spots Fund to help create a network of places where people can go to keep warm and socialise.
A Warm Spot should offer a warm, heated space, ‘a warm welcome’ with at least one member of staff or volunteer, a hot drink and be open for at least two hours each week.Applications to the Warm Spots Fund can be submitted at any time and groups should hear the outcome of their application within 10 working days.
Image is of a community group
The Cumbria Intelligence Observatory is a website jointly managed by both Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council. The website brings together data, information, research and analysis resources across Cumbria.
The survey is designed to gather feedback from users of the website in order for us to review current usage and inform the future development of the site to better meet user needs.
Please click the button below to complete the survey, all responses are anonymous.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or queries about the survey please email us at: info@cumbriaobservatory.org.uk
Image is of a lightbulb graphic
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Cop 29 is the worlds annual meeting to mitigate climate change. This year's COP29, dubbed the "finance COP," will focus on scaling up climate ambitions and securing funding for these initiatives. Key discussions will revolve around four main themes: loss, damage, adaptation, and mitigation. These pillars highlight the need for funding to build infrastructure against climate impacts, transition to net-zero technologies, and support recovery from climate-related disasters.
The event has outlined several priorities, including:
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New Climate Finance Goal: Delegates will set a new target for climate funding, replacing the earlier goal of raising $100 billion by 2020 to help countries most affected by climate change.
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Loss and Damage Fund: This fund will help low-income countries recover from climate disasters that cannot be prevented by other measures.
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Updated Emission Reduction Targets: Countries will review and improve their goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit.
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Carbon Credit Regulations: Nations will discuss how to manage carbon credits, finding a balance between market flexibility and the need for clear rules and protection of human rights.
These discussions will be pivotal for global climate action.
Image is of the Cop 29 logo
The Cumbria LNRS website has been recently updated to include a new page called Content Development. This page will include the most recent versions of any draft work that has been completed to date, such as the draft priorities, draft measures, and any draft spatial planning work.
The team are keen to ensure that anyone can have their say and provide feedback on any of the content produced so far. As the LNRS enters its final stages of development, we encourage you to review these and provide any feedback or comments that you may have via email to Cumbria.LNRS@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.
We want to know what is important to you and where you feel nature in Cumbria needs our help the most. We want this strategy to reflect what is important to the people of Cumbria and want to hear, why and where habitats or species should be prioritised. Your views will help shape our Local Nature Recovery Strategy, the issues it could address and what we could do to tackle them.
Please follow this link to get started. The survey should take around 20 minutes to complete and your input is greatly appreciated.
Image is of a graphic that states 'your opinion matters'
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 Cumbria Wildlife Trust has achieved a major conservation milestone by creating England's highest nature reserve at Skiddaw Forest. We successfully raised the full £1.25 million needed to complete this vital project.
This 3,000-acre wilderness represents a rare opportunity to promote nature recovery in our uplands, ensuring its protection for generations to come. We are grateful for the support we received during our largest fundraising initiative to date.
Now that the target has been met, any future donations will go toward restoration efforts. Every contribution, big or small, has helped us safeguard this magnificent landscape. Thank you for joining us in making a lasting impact for nature!
Image is of Skiddaw Forest
With National Reuse Day being last week, here is your reminder that making small changes in your daily routine can create a big impact on our planet! Here are some simple and easy ways to reuse and recycle:
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Glass Jars: Turn them into stylish storage containers for dried goods or craft supplies.
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Bedding and Towels: Donate old linens to animal shelters for bedding or use them for DIY projects.
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Egg Cartons: Use them for organising small items like screws or buttons.
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Coffee Grounds: Use them as a natural fertiliser for your garden or for scrubbing pots and pans.
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Paper: Reuse scrap paper for notes or craft projects before recycling.
By embracing these simple ideas, you can make a positive difference and inspire others to join the sustainability movement. Let’s create a greener future together!
Image of national reuse day
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Over the coming weeks and months there will be some changes to the look of some of our waste services. This is because of a change in ownership of the contractor responsible for processing the waste collected from Cumberland households. Collection services are unaffected by the change.
On 10 October national waste management company, Biffa, completed the purchase of Renewi UK Services Ltd, the Contractor responsible for Cumbria’s 25-year public private partnership or PPP waste management contract which was signed in June 2009. Biffa will now be responsible for operating the two Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plants where the general household waste goes to be processed into fuel (instead of going to landfill) as well as being responsible for managing the network of household waste recycling centres. Importantly, the services will remain the same with no changes to the existing contract terms, but the company will now be renamed ‘Biffa Treatment Services Limited’ and ‘Renewi Cumbria Limited’ will change to ‘Biffa Cumbria Limited’. Over the next 6 months, Biffa will replace the Renewi brand with the Biffa brand on various materials and assets, such as equipment, vehicles, site signage and stationery. Biffa’s Contract Director commented that “Biffa is committed to partnering with Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council and providing both Councils with the best possible waste treatment solutions and looks forward to working with both Councils in supporting their sustainable waste management goals.”
Image is of the Biffa logo
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Cumberland Council and Renewi Cumbria Ltd announce temporary closures for essential maintenance at the following Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs):
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Clay Flatts HWRC (Workington): Closed on Tuesday 29 October 2024, reopening at 8am on Wednesday 30 October. Residents can use Maryport or Frizington HWRCs during this time.
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Bousteads Grassing HWRC (Carlisle): Closed on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 November 2024, reopening at 8am on Wednesday 6 November. Alternative sites include Brampton, Flusco (Penrith), or Wigton HWRCs.
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Syke Park HWRC (Wigton): Closed on Thursday 7 November 2024, reopening at 8am on Saturday 9 November. Nearby options include Bousteads Grassing and Maryport HWRCs.
Waste permits for the closed sites will be accepted at other HWRCs in the region. The council thanks residents for their understanding and cooperation during these essential upgrades. For more information, visit Cumberland Council’s website.
To find your nearest household waste recycling site (HWRC), please visit Cumberland Council’s website.
Image is of a staff member at a Cumbria waste centre
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The Cumbria & Lakes Local Access Forum recently held its October meeting at Allerdale House, Workington, followed by a visit to the newly completed Marjorie Way in Harrington and the King Charles III England Coast Path.
The Marjorie Way, once an overgrown railway line, now offers safe access for recreation and to Beckstone School. Originally proposed by former Councillor Marjorie Rea in 2009, the project was developed through the Council’s Rights of Way Improvement Programme.
The project has been a community effort, with environmental funding supporting the development of stone paths, ramps, and drainage systems. The route has become a vital link for local residents, especially families and school-goers.
The Local Access Forum praised the collaboration between the council and the community, noting its success and offering suggestions for future improvements.
Image is of members of the Cumbria & Lakes Local Access Forum visiting the Margorie Way Harrington
 With Christmas just around the corner, now is the perfect time to declutter your home and make room for new gifts. If you’re thinking about clearing out your children’s toys, why not consider donating them to local charity shops before the festive season begins? Many children outgrow toys long before they lose their charm, and by donating them, you can give those pre-loved items a second life.
Charity shops are always in need of good-quality toys, especially in the lead-up to the holidays. Your donation could make another child’s Christmas brighter, while also reducing waste and promoting sustainability. It’s a great way to teach your children about generosity and giving back.
So, before the festive season arrives, take some time to sort through those toy bins and shelves. A simple act of kindness can bring joy to another family—and give you a clutter-free home for the holidays.
Image is of a Christmas tree infographic
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