This Retrospective Exhibition celebrates the life and work of the enormously talented and much-loved Lake District artist, Libby Edmondson. Renowned for interpreting traditional Lakeland landscape with a contemporary twist through the powerful use of vibrant colour. Libby also enjoyed painting seascapes, gardens, still life, and rural life. Libby produced some 270 paintings, many of which are displayed together for the first time due to generous loans and recently discovered work.

From sculpture to weaving, embroidery to ceramics, pastels to paintings, this exhibition co curated by Libby’s husband Nigel and youngest son Richard, encompasses the full breadth of Libby’s work and her creativity in all its forms. It tells the stories behind her artwork and how they were produced. It features an installation of her garden studio and a chance to see her last, unfinished painting. Finally, there is an opportunity to buy original artwork, prints, a canvas, or a specially produced calendar.

Venue: Rheged Gallery, Redhills, Penrith CA11 0DQ

Dates and Times: 25 November & 26 November, 10am - 5pm.

Free entry.

For more information, please visit the Rheged website.

The Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) is a programme of winter activities and experiences aimed at all school-age children and young people in Cumbria.

The programme is administered by Westmorland and Furness & Cumberland Council who have commissioned a number of different organisations to provide activities across the summer, with all activities including a nutritious meal.

Places are FREE for young people who receive benefits-related Free School
Meals. Additional FREE spaces are available for children and young people who fit a number of eligibility criteria. For more information about potential eligibility for a free space, please email: HAF@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

Some activity providers also have spaces available for any child, but there may be a cost to parents.

For activities based in and around Penrith, please see the leaflet below:

• Winter HAF - Eden Area Leaflet

For activities further afield to Penrith, please visit the Westmorland & Furness website.

For more information, please visit the Alhambra Penrith website.

Eden Valley Touring Network

Watch live music gigs all around the Eden Valley as part of the Eden Valley Touring Network!

Coming up in the next couple of weeks:

Peter Michael Rowan, Burnt Horse

• Venue: Dufton Village Hall
• Date & Time: Friday 1 December 2023, doors open at 7pm

Stooshie, Neil McHardy

• Venue: Stainton Village Hall
• Date & Time: Friday 8 December 2023, doors open at 7pm

Admission fee: £5 - pay on the door at the venue or by contacting the venue directly beforehand.

For more information, please visit the EVAN website.

Penrith Repair Cafe aims to fix your broken items and save them from landfill. At the same time, you'll learn new skills from the brilliant volunteer repairers who can fix electricals, garden tools, ornaments and also tackle clothing and textile repairs! This is all carried out free of charge, but donations are appreciated.

There is also a cafe with delicious home made cake and drinks, which is also free!

The Repair Cafe runs on the second Saturday of each month - so 9th December - from 10am - 1pm at the Old Fire Station on Bridge Lane.

For more information, visit the Penrith Repair Cafe website and follow them on their Facebook page.

Growing Well is a mental health charity that supports recovery through growing and gardening activity. We are located in a new kitchen garden at Tebay Services Northbound.

Need help?

If you’re feeling depressed, anxious, or finding everyday life difficult, then we may be able to help with free effective support for your mental health. We grow salad, fruit, and vegetables fresh every day which we sell to the Tebay Services Farmshop and Kitchen.

Our service is completely free, and we provide minibus transport from Penrith and the surrounding areas.

To find out more email refer.tebay@growingwell.co.uk or phone 07512 316564

Want to give help?

If you would like to support our work, there are several ways you can get involved:

Support Volunteers

Perhaps you’re an avid gardener with skills you’d like to share? Or just love being outdoors and want to do something really worthwhile? You will work alongside our staff and support our beneficiaries to engage in horticultural activities.

Community Volunteers

Do you love growing and gardening, getting involved with good causes, and letting people know of things happening in the community?  We need some help with growing and developing our site, fundraising, local events, and generally spreading the word about our service around local communities.

Interested? Email us at tebay@growingwell.co.uk 

Open Day 2023

Venue: Penrith Rugby Club

Date & Time: Wednesday 29th November 2023, 10.00am to 12.00pm

The u3a is a local, national and international network of self-help educational, cultural and recreational activities, organised for and by retired and semi-retired people of all ages. 

The Penrith branch are holding an open day for current & new members to find out more about the Penrith and North Lakes u3a and the various and diverse groups who meet.

Some group conveners will be present for people to talk to:

• Folk music/Ukulele
• Folk Dance
• Bird Watching
• Pottery
• Badminton
• Scrabble
• Cinema
• Moderate Walking
• Archaeology
• Industrial History
• And more!

More information can be found on the Penrith and North Lakes u3a website.

Talkin’ Tables Penrith is an initiative to try and tackle loneliness in the community.

If you are over the age of 50 and want to start (or keep) playing football, why not give Penrith Walking Football a try!

Penrith Walking Football play twice a week, all year round.  They are affiliated to the Cumberland Football Association and hold England Football Accreditation.

Walking football is a variation of the traditional game of football.  It is played at a slower pace, with an emphasis on walking rather than running. It is technical, challenging and a brilliant way to carry on playing the best game in the world!

It's a low-impact sport that's easy on the joints, making it a perfect variation of the game without any of the soreness the day after.  Being a no contact sport, played at a slower pace, and with the ball being kept below head height, the risk of injury is greatly reduced.

Regardless of your fitness and endurance levels, the slower pace of walking football makes it accessible to an older audience than traditional formats of the game.

Socialise, make new friends and meet new people.  They regularly hold social events for members and their partners!

For more information and to get involved, please contact Steve Stockdale by:

• Email: stevestockdale@sky.com
• Phone: 01768 865750

Penrith Park Run is a free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event at Frenchfield! Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you!

It's completely free to join, just register before you first come along. You only ever need to register with parkrun once. Don't forget to bring a printed copy of your barcode. If you forget it, you won't get a time.

For more information, please visit the Park Run or search for Penrith Park Run on Facebook.