Hello and welcome to our summer Environment and Climate Newsletter!
With summer in full swing, we’re celebrating the energy, innovation, and community spirit making a difference across Cumberland.
This season, we’re also giving a well-deserved shoutout to our Litter Champions in Stanwix and Heysham Park, whose clean-up efforts are helping keep our shared spaces beautiful, safe, and welcoming.
We’re also marking a major milestone in public health, three of Carlisle’s four remaining Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) are being officially revoked, following confirmation from DEFRA that nitrogen dioxide levels now meet national standards. This progress reflects years of collective effort, cleaner transport, and changing work habits. The revoked zones include Brampton Road at Stanwix Bank, Currock Street, and Dalston Road at Junction Street. While Bridge Street (A595) remains under review, planned improvements aim to address this by 2026. Cleaner air means healthier communities, and we’re proud to be moving in the right direction.
We are also reminding visitors about beauty spots like Stonethwaite and Wasdale to park considerately, avoiding obstructions to residents and emergency services. To ease congestion, shuttle buses, including the free Wasdale Explorer are running on weekends and bank holidays through summer 2025.
Looking ahead, we're excited to be encouraging people to host a Harvest Fest this autumn—a community celebration of local food, sustainability, and seasonal change. Keep an eye out this issue for more details!
With kindest regards
Bob Kelly
Executive Member for Cumberland Policy and Regulatory Services
Image is of Cumberland Councillor Bob Kelly, Executive Member for Cumberland Policy and Regulatory Services
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Futureproof Cumbria is dedicated to empowering people, communities, and organisations across the region to take meaningful action on the climate crisis. Through advocacy, education, and practical support, they help drive sustainable change, building a more resilient, low-carbon future for Cumbria and beyond. Her are a couple of courses that they have on offer ⬇
Climate and Carbon Literacy Training
Tuesday 16 & 23 September, 13.15 – 17.15, Online
This accredited Climate and Carbon Literacy training course provides a clear understanding of climate science, an awareness of carbon footprinting, and the impacts of everyday activities.
Click here for full details and to book your place.
Climate Fresk
Tuesday 14 October, 9.45 – 13.00, Kendal
Climate Fresk maps the causes and effects of climate change by using a set of cards with facts and figures taken from the latest IPCC report. Working in small groups and with an expert facilitator, you’ll discuss each card and create a fresco to show the links between human behaviour and climate breakdown.
Click here to find out more about Climate Fresk and book your place.
Image shows a training session taking place.
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 Summer is the time for having fun at music festivals and other large events, but please be aware of the waste created, it is costly both for the festival organisers and the environment. UK music festivals will generate around 26,000 tonnes of waste this year. A few things to bear in mind next time you or family members attend a large event, and ideas to keep your experience fun, but environmentally friendly.
Tents are not single use- a typical festival tent uses the same amount of plastic as 8,750 straws or, 200 bottles! Tents and other camping equipment abandoned at festival are treated as waste, a small percentage may go to charities, but the majority will end up in the waste stream and won’t be reused or recycled.
Here are some things to consider:
- Think about borrowing a tent from friends and family
- Look out on sites like Freegle/Freecycle for tents being given away
- Check out the Decathlon tent money back campaign No Tent Left Behind
- Think about what you need to pack, you may have to carry it, so keep it light! https://festivalsource.co.uk/festival-packing-list/
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Always take your tent down and take it home at the end of a festival, this makes the festival cleanup quicker and the festival waste disposal cost lower, and means you have a tent for your next festival!
Have a great time this summer and leave only footprints, take only memories (and your tent!)
Image shows a campsite full of tents at a music festival.
 It's that time of year when everyone is starting to cook outside, whether on a BBQ in the garden with the family or on a gas camping stove at a festival, but disposable barbecues and small gas canisters can be very dangerous if disposed of incorrectly. Both can create fires that are dangerous to the waste and recycling collection crews and staff at our waste sites.
- Disposable BBQs - Make sure they are definitely put out with no hot embers. Soak them in water for a couple of hours before placing in your general waste bin.
- Reusable BBQs – Follow the same advice as above for the coals from your reusable BBQ.
- Gas canisters and bottles - These can be recycled at the Household Recycling Centres. Never put them in the general waste.
If you are unsure about where or how to safely dispose of anything, check out the national Recycle Now locator.
Image shows a family enjoying a disposable BBQ on the beach.
We’re celebrating a major milestone in improving public health, three of Carlisle’s four remaining Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) are being revoked. This follows confirmation from DEFRA that nitrogen dioxide levels in these areas now consistently meet national standards, based on our 2023 data and 2024 report.
The AQMAs being lifted are:
- Brampton Road at Stanwix Bank
- Currock Street between James and Crown Street
- Dalston Road at Junction Street
Introduced in the 1990s to tackle traffic-related pollution, these zones have benefited from cleaner vehicles, more remote working, and improved transport options. Cleaner air means healthier communities, something we’re deeply committed to.
While AQMA 4 on the A595 Bridge Street remains, planned infrastructure improvements aim to resolve this by 2026.
Through our updated 2021 Air Quality Action Plan, we’ll continue to cut emissions and support cleaner travel. Together with our partners, we’re building a greener, healthier future for Cumberland.
 Food Cumberland was thrilled to fund 33 Big Lunch events across the region in June, each one a celebration of community, sustainability, and local flavour. From Bollywood dancing in a polytunnel to foraging walks, planting sessions, and live cooking demos, these gatherings brought people together with low-waste, low-carbon, healthy menus, highlighting the best of local produce.
Looking ahead to autumn, Food Cumberland and Futureproof Cumbria are inviting community groups in Cumberland to apply for Harvest Fest funding, with up to £150 available to support seasonal events which promote local produce, champion sustainability and increase local engagement.
Whether you're planning a pumpkin cook-off, apple pressing, seed swap, or meal share, this is your chance to make it happen.
Image shows some autumnal fruit and vegtables.
 At the beginning of June, local residents joined the Pollinator Picnic in Irthing Park, Brampton, an event hosted by Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Brampton Green and Wild, supported by Hyperfast GB to celebrate local wildflowers blooming in the recently replanted area.
Despite a little summer rain, the community explored restored wildflower areas, spotted species like red clover and yellow rattle, and learned how to support bees and butterflies.
The event is part of a wider partnership between Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Hyperfast GB (delivered by Fibrus) to restore pollinator habitats and involve communities through planting days and training sessions.
More planting days are planned this autumn across Cumberland in Keswick and Gosforth. If you’d like to get involved, please contact Charlotte from Cumbria Wildlife Trust at charlotte.rankin@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk.
Hyperfast GB and Fibrus are proud to support this important work, connecting people not just digitally, but also to the nature on their doorstep.
Image shows some children enjoying the pollinator picnic and a close up of a flower.
 A brand new children’s book was launched on 17 July at Foxes Café Lounge in Carlisle - Little Coffee Cup and the Big Surprise, written by Hayley Slack, is the first children’s book in the UK to be printed entirely on paper made from recycled coffee cups, using James Cropper’s innovative CupCycling® technology, based in Burneside, Kendal.
Made from 100% recycled coffee cups, the book is a truly circular product, written to inspire children the circular economy.
A circular economy is a sustainable model that reduces waste by keeping resources in use for as long as possible. It focuses on designing products for reuse, repair, and recycling, while regenerating natural systems. This approach contrasts with the traditional linear model of take, make, use, and dispose.
Little Coffee Cup is the first story about sustainability that is sustainability. This beautifully illustrated book brings environmental values to life in an engaging, hopeful way for young readers, while challenging the UK publishing industry to think differently.
By using locally made, upcycled paper instead of cutting down trees or relying on imports, the project is a powerful example of how creative publishing can lead the way in reducing waste and carbon impact - all while telling a story that matters.
Image shows the Little Coffee Cup book alongside some recyclable coffee cups.
 We had the pleasure of visiting the 1st Wetheral Brownies last week to thank them for their amazing work supporting Operation T.U.R.D.
The Brownies spotted a dog fouling hotspot in their area, marking a shocking 29 piles of mess and even handing out poo bags to passing dog walkers — all part of their hard work towards earning their ‘Speak Out’ badges.
To say thank you, we presented them with a certificate for going above and beyond in spreading the message about responsible dog ownership. The officers said they were polite, thoughtful, and brilliant role models for their community!
We also spoke to local landowners and the Vice Chair of the Parish Council about the ongoing issues. Thanks to the Brownies’ efforts, a formal request is being made to install a new dog waste bin along the path.
Our team will be carrying out targeted patrols in the area starting this week, with help from the Brownies' observations. They’re also planning another litter pick soon to earn even more badges — what a fantastic group!
Image is of the 1st Wetheral Brownies with some Cumberland Council enforcement officers
Earlier this year, the Government announced funding for a new round of the Great British Energy Community Fund, previously known as the Community Energy Fund (CEF). A new name, but the same goal, helping to generate energy closer to where it is used and which local people benefit from. North West Net Zero Hub are calling for Expressions of Interest from community groups across the region.
Visit the page for more information: Great British Energy Community Fund | North West Net Zero Hub
Image shows a Great British Energy Fund poster
Exciting developments are underway across the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region Programme. From the deployment of temporary radio equipment and fibre backhaul, to the installation of environmental sensors and new payment technology, the programme is gaining real momentum.
Climate Emergency UK assessed all UK councils on the actions they’ve taken towards net zero. The 2025 Action Scorecard assessment consists of 93 questions or less, depending on council type, across seven different sections, created in consultation with over 90 different organisations and individuals.
Our Enforcement Officers were out in Wasdale Valley recently, engaging with visitors to ensure compliance with the PSPO on irresponsible camping and anti-social behaviour. A gentle reminder to be respectful, leave no trace, and help protect this beautiful area for everyone. Failure to comply could result in prosecution.
P.S. Our photogenic Herdy fully agrees, let’s keep the area beautiful so he can keep doing what he loves: grazing, posing, and stealing the spotlight!
Image shows a Cumberland Council van parked in the Lake District.
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  A huge thank you to everyone who joined us on a scorching Saturday to help clean up Stanwix! Your incredible efforts made a real difference, over 20 bags of rubbish were collected, and the planters are looking better than ever. What a fantastic show of community spirit!
There was plenty of fun too, with Claire’s Cool Creatures proving a big hit. Some very brave young volunteers even got up close with some amazing animals, definitely a highlight of the day.
Our community spirit continued into the week as a group of incredible Litter Champions hosted a successful litter pick at Heysham Park on Wednesday 9 July. Thanks to their dedication, numerous bags of rubbish were collected, ready for proper disposal.
These amazing volunteers are passionate about protecting the environment and are making a real, visible difference by tackling litter and reducing waste in our communities.
Why Join the Litter Champions?
Becoming a Litter Champion means you can:
✅ Help create cleaner, healthier public spaces
✅ Access free equipment – litter pickers, gloves, hi-vis vests, and waste bags
✅ Make a positive impact in your local area
What’s Involved?
As a Litter Champion, you can:
🌍 Organise community clean-up events with council support
🏪 Encourage local businesses to adopt and take pride in nearby spaces
🏘 Take part in action days focused on cleaning streets, homes, and shared areas
Interested in Joining?
Email us at wasteos@cumberland.gov.uk to get involved and become a local Litter Champion today!
Top image shows some volunteers at the Stanwix litter pick
Bottom image shows some of the Litter Champions at Heysham Park
 Cumberland Council are working with Westmorland and Furness Council and the Lake District National Park Authority as part of the Nutrient Neutrality Northwest Partnership. Together with environmental organisations, the partnership is tackling excess nutrients, like phosphates, in Cumbria’s rivers and lakes to protect biodiversity and water quality.
Focusing on the River Eden, River Derwent & Bassenthwaite Lake, River Kent, and Esthwaite Water Ramsar, the partnership has appointed Burrow Environmental and Our Rivers to deliver a Package Treatment Plant (PTP) Replacement Programme, using funding from the Government’s £16.4m Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund.
This programme will upgrade outdated septic tanks and small treatment plants, helping reduce phosphorus in local watercourses. It also supports developers in meeting nutrient neutrality requirements, unlocking stalled planning applications and boosting sustainable development.
A nutrient credit scheme is expected to launch in late 2025, providing a new way for developers to meet environmental obligations.
Image shows the new contractors appointed for key nutrient mitigation scheme in Cumbria.
We're pleased to announce that the 6-week public consultation for the draft Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) officially closed on Sunday 22 June. We are overwhelmed with the responses and want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to provide their comments and feedback.
To ensure you receive all the latest updates and news on the strategy's progress, we encourage you to stay signed up to our Cumbria LNRS Newsletter and regularly check our website
Image shows a red squirrel
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 Thanks to all our partners for celebrating Swifts at Swifts Bank Nature Reserve.
We are supporting Penrith Swift Group in efforts to help halt the local decline in Swift numbers. We’ve helped fund materials for nest boxes in Carlisle. These have been installed at Trinity School, the old Newman School, and Turf Tavern, with more being made by volunteers and students.
Image shows some of the newly installed nest boxes
 We’ve had the driest start to the year since the 1950s, followed by the warmest spring on record and several hot spells already this summer. While June’s rain helped improve soil, rivers, and reservoirs - Haweswater alone rose by 3% in a week (around 240 million litres!) - some areas, especially across the Pennines, remain below average.
Water use typically rises in summer. The average person uses 140 litres a day, but this increases in hot weather. To check your usage, visit the Consumer Council for Water’s website.
Simple ways to save water:
In the home:
- Turn off taps when brushing teeth or washing - this can save over 20 litres a day.
- Shorten showers to 4 minutes and catch warm-up water to reuse in the garden.
- Fix leaks - a dripping tap or running toilet can waste up to 400 litres daily.
- Use appliances efficiently - only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.
In the garden:
- Collect rainwater in a water butt - great for plants and saves up to 200 litres.
- Water wisely - use a can instead of a hose and water during cooler times.
- Let lawns rest - grass recovers quickly after rain.
- Reuse paddling pool water for plants.
Other Tips:
For more tips, visit unitedutilities.com/savewater.
Image shows a mother and young child washing their hands
 This summer, The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven is hosting an exhibition by British Life Photographer of the Year, and Cumbrian farmer, Amy Bateman. Running from 5 July to 7 September, Forty Farms offers visitors an unprecedented look into the lives of 40 farmers across Cumbria and the Lake District through powerful photography, immersive film, local products, and deeply personal stories.
Image shows one of the pictures displayed at the Forty Farms exhibition.
Blindcrake Village Hall has been awarded £12,000 to install solar panels, an air source heat pump and batteries - aiming to become a hub of warmth and wifi, even during power cuts.
Find out about this and other investments made by our Lakes to Sea Community panel on the our website.
 Across Cumbria there is a team of ‘Master Composters’ - volunteers who will advise people about home composting, whether that’s at a school, in a community group or by just providing advice to an individual wanting to compost for the first time or trying to do things better. The Master Composters volunteer for an organisation called Garden Organic which won the contract to provide home composting support to both Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness.
In Cumberland there are 18 volunteers at the moment who in the period 1 October 2024 (when the contract started) to 31 March 2025 volunteered 109 hours for the council and spoke to 204 people about home composting. In the period between January and March the team has also recorded the number of conversations and hours volunteered at each of six compost demonstration sites (CDSs) for the first time. A CDS is a place which is open to the public to see a range of different composting techniques and composting bins and learn about what each type of bin is particularly useful for.
By providing information about the number of people spoken to and the number of hours volunteered at the CDSs Garden Organic is also helping us to measure the social value or the value to the community provided by the contract. The CDSs are at Gosling Sike nature reserve, Carlisle; Growing Well, Egremont and the Millom Network Centre.
Image shows Master Composters Jonathan and Tony at the Millom Network Centre CDS.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is currently consulting on proposed management measures for fishing in 42 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across English waters.
As part of this consultation, the draft Irish Sea Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024 has been published. This byelaw applies to ICES Area 7a, which includes areas relevant to West of Copeland and the Solway.
This is a significant step in protecting our marine ecosystems while balancing sustainable fishing practices.
Consultation Now Open
Relevant to: The Solway Coast – West of Copeland
Your input can help shape the future of our seas, please take a moment to have your say.
Cumberland Council has taken a significant step toward transforming local public transport, with the official launch of the procurement process for a major expansion of bus services across the region.
This follows the council’s recent approval to move to market, supported by £3.5 million in Government funding through the Bus Services Improvement Plan (BSIP) which focuses on connecting communities, improving accessibility and supporting everyday travel needs.
Local bus operators are now formally invited to submit tenders for the delivery of new and enhanced services designed to better connect communities and improve accessibility for residents and are encouraged to seize this opportunity to help provide high-quality, reliable public transport that meets the evolving needs of the area.
In addition to the new services under procurement, the council already funds several important routes that need public usage to remain viable:
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Route 60 – Silloth to Maryport
▶ Reintroduced to reconnect key towns
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Route 64 – Rockcliffe to Durdar
▶ Restored and improved for better local service
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Route 300 – Workington to Carlisle
▶ Enhanced frequency: every 30 minutes
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Route 30 – Egremont / Frizington to Maryport (Sundays)
▶ Now every 30 minutes on Sundays
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Route M1 – Millom Town Service (including Haverigg)
▶ Reinstated to strengthen community ties
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Route 22 – Cleator Moor to West Cumberland Hospital
▶ Provides access to healthcare and supports extended visiting hours
These routes are vital for accessing work, healthcare, education, and leisure, especially for those who rely on public transport every day.
With government investment secured and procurement underway, Cumberland Council is committed to delivering better, more reliable bus services. But community engagement is key.
Image is of Cllr Denise Rollo
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 Our environmental officers recently closed a case involving an environmental offence after a group of individuals were identified for wild camping and causing significant damage in the Thirlmere area.
The group felled trees and lit a large fire, breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) and causing unnecessary harm to the local landscape.
Thanks to joint efforts between the landowner, United Utilities, and Cumberland Council, the individuals involved were issued fines for the breach and made a voluntary donation to the John Muir Trust to support tree replanting and restoration in the affected area.
Although wild camping itself isn’t an offence, damaging the environment is. We have zero tolerance for environmental harm, and anyone breaching the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) risks a fine or prosecution.
We urge everyone to camp responsibly, please follow Leave No Trace principles, and use designated sites to help protect our landscapes for everyone to enjoy.
Image is a landscape shot of Thirlmere.
We have secured £3.465 million from the Department for Transport’s LEVI (Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) scheme to expand public EV charging across the region.
This major investment supports the council’s goal of promoting cleaner, more sustainable transport by improving access to essential charging infrastructure for both residents and visitors.
At the April 2025 Executive Board meeting, approval was given to move forward with a long-term concession contract for the provision, operation, and maintenance of EV charge points. Tendering is underway, with installations set to begin by winter 2025 and full rollout completed by winter 2028.
A key project aim is to ensure that 70% of residents without off-street parking have access to a charge point within a five-minute walk. In rural areas, community hubs will host charging stations to ensure fair access for all.
This is a major step towards a greener, future-ready Cumberland.
Image is of an electric vehicle clip art.
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 If you are visiting popular locations like Stonethwaite and the Wasdale Valley, please park responsibly and consider the needs of residents, farmers, and emergency services.
These stunning areas attract high numbers of visitors, especially around Black Moss Pot, but inconsiderate parking continues to cause obstruction and safety issues on narrow rural roads.
To address this, we are stepping up patrols in Borrowdale Valley and encouraging visitors to park safely, legally, and without blocking access.
In support of sustainable tourism, we are also expanding shuttle bus trials in 2025:
Image is of a cartoon sheep alongside a car on a road.
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