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There is still time to sign up for Enterprising Cumbria’s Economic Summit tomorrow.
More than 350 business leaders and delegates will attend the event from 9.30am to 4.30pm, at the Keswick Pencil Factory.
Organised with support from Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council, it will focus on the emerging Cumbria Economic Strategy.
Speakers include:
- David Beeby, Chair of the Enterprising Cumbria Growth Board.
- Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, Cllr Jonathan Brook.
- Mark Cropper, Chair, Kendal Futures.
- James Harrison, Shadow Board Chair, Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster
- Mark Goldstone, Policy Manager – UK Competitiveness, CBI.
Click here to book your place.
Financial support and expert advice are on offer to budding entrepreneurs in Westmorland and Furness. Anybody with a business idea but who is unsure how to start turning their vision into a reality is eligible for help from Cumbria Accelerator – the comprehensive business start-up and support programme run by Enterprising Cumbria after a grant of up to £1,630,000 from Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Available only until January 2025, Cumbria Accelerator's start-up programme includes:
- £500 funding that doesn’t need to be paid back;
- One-to-one advice from industry experts;
- Tailored support to navigate the local business landscape.
Cumbria Accelerator also provides support to anybody in Westmorland and Furness looking to take their business to the next level, whether they are a freelancer looking to scale or an established business aiming for new heights. To enquire about a place on this programme contact business support programme manager Leslie Rickerby at leslie.rickerby@enterprisingcumbria.org.uk or by calling 07920 877545.
Enterprising Cumbria – supported by Westmorland and Furness Council and Cumberland Council – has taken on the function and purpose of the previous Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and provides a powerful voice for a diverse array of businesses across the Cumbrian footprint, building upon the work of the CLEP in supporting economic growth, investing in skills, and promoting Cumbria as a great place to live, work, and do business
Click here for the full story about Cumbria Accelerator.
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The Borderlands Energy Investment Programme is now open for expressions of interest from businesses and organisations in Westmorland and Furness looking for significant and strategic investment in developing or improving energy systems. This investment will support carbon reduction, local businesses, skills development and the creation of local high value jobs.
Click here for more information about the call for projects for the Borderlands Energy Investment Programme.
The Borderlands Energy Investment Programme is part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, a £452m partnership investing in sustainable and inclusive economic growth across the South of Scotland and North of England.
The programme has announced AWTG Limited as lead supplier of the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme. AWTG will be working to a tight timescale to deliver innovative 5G solutions across five sites across the Borderlands.
Click here for announcement of the award of the technical services contract for this programme.
Representatives from each of the five local authorities in England and Scotland which make up the Borderlands Partnership (Cumberland Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council, Scottish Borders Council and Westmorland and Furness Council) continue to develop the plan of works for these five initial sites:
- Destination Tweed;
- Kielder Castle and Forest;
- Stranraer Marina;
- The Sill @ Hadrian’s Wall;
- Windermere 5G Ferry.
5G is a critical emerging technology which will create a range of opportunities for business, leisure, transport, service delivery and safety. We are continuing to look at opportunities across Cumbria to support 5G research and development and deployment to ensure that Cumbria is positioned to maximise benefits from this technology for our businesses, residents and visitors. Further updates will be provided in due course.
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Our Skills and Employment business breakfasts in partnership with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce have been well attended by businesses from across the region. Held at locations in Barrow, Kendal and Penrith, each breakfast featured presentations from Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Cumbria Tourism and Westmorland and Furness Council’s Adult Education team.
Projects featured included Cumbria Chamber of Commerce’s Local Skills Improvement Plan, Cumbria Tourism’s Welcome to Work in the Visitor Economy scheme helping jobseekers into work in the sector, and the Multiply project which helps adults to brush up their numeracy skills and boost their number confidence.
The events included a round table chaired by senior Westmorland and Furness Council members and directors linked to WFC’s Economic Development and Regeneration team. These sessions proved an effective way to get businesses engaged with the topic and learn about the different ways they are responding to the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff.
Businesses have provided very positive feedback and we are hoping to run more business events in 2025.
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Climate and Carbon Literacy Training is available for your business from the Westmorland and Furness Green Enterprise Hub on Thursday 23 January thanks to funding through Westmorland and Furness Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Equip your staff with climate knowledge and actionable strategies to cut emissions. Click here to book your place.
Westmorland and Furness Council has grant finding tool for communities and businesses. The funding portal is designed to help communities and businesses easily locate available funding opportunities.
The tool is part of the council's ongoing commitment to support local business growth, innovation and development, and to enable community groups and others to flourish, making Westmorland and Furness a great place to live, work and thrive.
The council encourages all community members, businesses, and organisations to explore the new grant finding tool and take advantage of the funding opportunities available. With this tool, users can search for available grants tailored to their specific needs and projects, streamlining the process of securing financial support.
Click here to start exploring available funding, visit the council’s website and navigate to either the community or business portal.
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Thanks to funding through Westmorland and Furness Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund rural businesses can apply for vouchers of up to £500 to cover the costs of a consultant of your choice for services including accountancy, legal and marketing.
Click here to apply for the consultancy funding.
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