Cumbria CVS Green Blog No 18 – August 2025
August 10, 2025
Welcome back to Cumbria CVS Green!
In our eighteenth blog post, Emily Wilson, our South Lakes & Furness Development Officer, reflects on attending a Cumbria Climate Risk Action Group workshop as part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Summit – a valuable opportunity to share insights, identify barriers, and co-develop practical solutions for our region.
If you have any suggestions about what you’d like to see in our regular updates, let us know! Contact us by emailing info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
You can find our what we’re doing to minimise our environmental impact and find details of organisations supporting positive environmental action in Cumbria on our Climate Commitment page here
Catch up on our other blog posts here
Cumbria Climate Action
I recently attended the Cumbria Climate Risk Action Group workshop as part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Summit. The session brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to explore how Cumbria can better understand and respond to climate-related risks. It was a valuable opportunity to share insights, identify barriers, and co-develop practical solutions for our region.
One of the key themes was the growing urgency of addressing climate risks specific to Cumbria, such as flooding, infrastructure vulnerability, and the challenges of rural energy resilience. The workshop highlighted how these risks are interconnected and require coordinated, community-led responses.
We discussed several barriers to progress, including limited funding, gaps in training and retrofit delivery, and misalignment between local and national policies. Cumbria’s unique context was emphasised— its rural geography, dispersed communities, and reliance on tourism. These factors make it essential to design climate strategies that are locally relevant and inclusive.
Personally, I found the session both energising and grounding. It was encouraging to see so many people committed to climate resilience in Cumbria. One key takeaway for me was the importance of aligning local action with broader policy frameworks — and the need for more support to make that happen.
I’m pleased to share a range of sustainability training opportunities available to charities and community organisations — including our own Cumbria CVS event, designed to support local groups in developing effective environmental and sustainability policies. Do take a look below.
Because building a sustainable future isn’t just about reducing emissions — it’s about practical action, informed decision-making, and supporting communities across Cumbria to grow stronger and more resilient.
Training and Events
National Allotments Week 2025
11th – 17th August. Originated by The National Allotment Society, for over two decades, National Allotments Week has encouraged allotment holders to open their gates and show off their sites, to highlight the social, health and environmental benefits of UK allotments.
Environmental and Sustainability Policy Training
Tuesday, 12 August 2025, Online.
- Focus: Writing sustainability policies, meeting funder/legal expectations
- Outcome: Draft policy tailored to your organisation
World Water Week 2025
24th – 28th August. World Water Week is an annual conference on global water issues, that began in 1991.
A non-profit event its aims are to develop solutions to the world’s greatest water-related challenges, with topics ranging from food security and health to agriculture, technology, biodiversity, and the climate crisis.
Journey to Net Zero
15 September 2025, online. Within the charity sector, it is important to be working towards a sustainable future with an impactful ESG strategy.
By attending this course, you will be better equipped to identify and prioritise the ESG issues most relevant to your charity and ensure your net zero plans align with your organisation’s overall strategy. In addition you will learn how to incorporate net zero considerations into your charity’ s reporting.
Climate Action Plans for Educational Settings
Wednesday 8th October/Tuesday 25th November, online: Our friends at Futureproof Cumbria are running webinars to help school leaders, teachers and governors develop climate action plans.
Discover ready-made tools, practical ideas, and the confidence to take meaningful steps – no matter where your school is on its sustainability journey. Tickets £25.
Book Wed 8 Oct session
Book Tues 25 Nov session
Society for the Environment (SocEnv) Webinars
- Website: SocEnv
- Format: Free and low-cost webinars
- Topics: Environmental leadership, policy, innovation
- Best for: Informal learning and networking
Let’s Go Zero – Carbon Literacy Training
- Provider: Let’s Go Zero
- Format: Online, live sessions
- Focus: Climate justice, action planning for schools and communities
- Certification: Accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project
NCVO – Sustainability & Strategy for Charities
Provider: NCVO
- Format: Online, live training and webinars
- Courses:
· Project Management in the Voluntary Sector
· Theory of Change for Strategic Planning
· Fundraising for Sustainability
- Focus: Embedding sustainability, strategic planning, resilience
Green Impact – SOS-UK
- Provider: SOS-UK
- Format: Online programme with toolkits and mentoring
- Focus: Practical sustainability actions, awards, and support
- Best for: Structured sustainability journeys for charities and groups
Futureproof Cumbria – Local Sustainability Groups & Events
- Provider: Futureproof Cumbria (formerly CAfS)
- Format: In-person workshops, community events, local group meetings
- Focus: Climate action planning, community engagement, carbon reduction
- Details:
· Events across Cumbria
· Join or start a local group via the Cumbria Sustainability Network
· Support and funding available
EnviroWorkshops – Environmental Professional Training
- Provider: EnviroWorkshops
- Format: In-person workshops across the UK and Europe
- Focus: Environmental remediation, air quality, geotech, sustainability
- Features: Free registration, expert speakers, networking, certification
- Note: Check their 2025 schedule for Cumbria-based events
News and Information
Free energy saving upgrades!
Keep your home warmer and save money on your bills this winter with free upgrades through the Ofgem ECO scheme!
You could get loft insulation, wall insulation, solar panels, and heating system upgrades installed free of charge if you have a low income or a qualifying health condition.
Are you eligible? Find out at www.cumberland.gov.uk/eco or contact us at:
- Email energy@cumberland.gov.uk
- Call 0330 056 5698
Council welcomes the voices of Cumbrian citizens in tackling climate change
Westmorland and Furness Council has welcomed the findings and recommendations from the recent Cumbria Climate Assembly.
The assembly, which met between March and June, brought together 40 people from across Cumbria to explore the question: “Many people in Cumbria feel unheard and unable to influence those who make decisions on climate change action. What can be done about this?”. It was commissioned by the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP) and independently facilitated.
Following over 30 hours of evidence, discussions and deliberations, the assembly developed 17 clear recommendations and a set of guiding principles for good engagement. On 22 July, assembly members presented their reflections and findings to councillors and officers from Westmorland and Furness Council who were there to listen, learn and commit to next steps.
Introduction to Rewilding
Rewilding offers a hopeful new vision for restoring our natural world in the 21st century, with an inspirational message that is capturing hearts and minds on an ever-increasing scale. The growth of the global rewilding movement mirrors a growing desire in society to revitalise nature – not just because nature itself is life-affirming and wonderful, but because such revitalisation can help us to address many of our most pressing challenges.
Rewilding Europe has partnered with the Open University to offer a free online Rewilding course, which will give you a comprehensive grounding in rewilding. First you will learn about the rewilding movement and what sets rewilding apart from other forms of conservation. You will then learn about the ecological, economic and social aspects of rewilding, before exploring rewilding in terrestrial, freshwater and marine settings.
Visit the website for more information and how to enrol
Award winning news
Congratulations to Raise: Cumbria! They’ve been named Forest of the Year by England’s Community Forests.
This national recognition highlights Raise’s inclusive, community-led approach to woodland creation and its continued commitment to environmental and social impact across the region. The announcement was made at this year’s England’s Community Forests conference in York.
Raise is one of 15 Community Forests across England working with a shared vision: to plant trees where they are most needed – near the towns, cities and communities that will benefit from them most – creating greener, healthier and more connected places for people and wildlife. Since 2022, they have supported planting over 330,000 trees.
The RAISE Cumbria Community Forest Plan aims to create substantial new forest land in Cumbria and the National Park. The Forest Plan is the first for the Cumbria Community Forest. It sets out the visions and goals over the next 25 years (2025-2050).
Household Support Fund
If you’re in the Westmorland & Furness council and you, or someone you know is facing financial crisis and struggling with energy costs or cold, damp conditions at home, Future Proof Cumbria may be able to help through the Household Support Fund.
Support includes free energy-saving appliances for instance air fryers, dehumidifiers, and microwaves, fuel vouchers, and heated throws to help stay warm without turning up the thermostat.
First stage completed in £350,000 major school decarbonisation review
Westmorland and Furness Council was awarded £350,000 to carry out a major decarbonisation assessment across schools for which the council has responsibility. This followed the successful application for a Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF) grant from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The initial stage of the review has been completed, following extensive assessments from specialists who gathered all relevant information to facilitate the next stage of the project. This will involve individual heat decarbonisation plans and building condition surveys being produced for each school.
The outcome of these reports will determine the scope of works required, investigate where changes and improvements could be made to increase the green credentials of buildings and how budget savings could be achieved on school energy costs.
Host a Food Cumberland Harvest Fest in your community
Deadline: 12th September 2025
Amount available: £150
Cumberland Council’s Food Partnership, in collaboration with Futureproof Cumbria, is inviting applications for funding to help local groups host Harvest Fest events during Autumn 2025 – celebrating the season’s end with food, community and climate-friendly choices.
Grants of up to £150 per project are available for constituted groups planning events that promote local food, healthy eating, and low-waste, plastic-free celebrations.
Menus might include locally sourced meat, seasonal vegetable dishes, and other low-carbon, climate-conscious options — all served without single-use plastics.
The initiative supports the aims of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership, which is working to reduce carbon emissions across the region.
More than 100 students attend Youth Climate Summit
Students from more than 20 schools attended another successful Cumbria Youth Climate Summit at Furness Academy in Barrow.
In total 115 students from 23 primary and secondary schools from across Cumbria took part in the event, organised by Cumbria Development Education Centre (CDEC) with support from the wider Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership members including Westmorland and Furness Council.
This year’s summit was the biggest yet and built on the success of last year’s event at Whitehaven Academy. The summit provides young people with easy access to a current, real-world conversation on climate issues and the theme of this year’s event – ‘Act Local, Think Global’ – reflected the growing awareness among young people of how local action can contribute to global change.
