Cumbria CVS Green blog No 27 – May 2026
May 15, 2026
Welcome back to Cumbria CVS Green!
In our twenty-seventh blog post, we welcome back Helen Attewell: Cumbria Sustainability Network Coordinator (which is part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership hosted by Futureproof Cumbria). Helen updates us on Great Big Green Week in Cumbria, highlighting dozens of funded community events on climate, nature, food, and volunteering. She also encourages people to get involved through the Cumbria Sustainability Network and by hosting or attending screenings of the People’s Emergency Briefing film.
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
Celebrating Nature and Mobilising Action on Climate
I love it when a plan comes together! You may remember my guest blog from a month or two back, when I was encouraging people to put forward suggestions for activities to celebrate Great Big Green Week under the banner of ‘Together for Good’ during the week of the 6th – 14th June, and to plan low carbon Big Lunch community celebrations of local food?
I was delighted that we received over 40 applications from groups in Westmorland and Furness who will benefit from grants totalling £8,500 thanks to funding from the Locality Boards; and the Food Cumberland Partnership awarded over 30 grants for the Big Lunch, which also include some Open Farm Sunday events.
This means that there will be a huge spread of climate / nature and community events happening across Cumbria in June. Many of the listings can be found on the Zero Carbon Cumbria website: Great Big Green Week events – Zero Carbon Cumbria – Carbon reduction action across the county., but please do look out for posters in your local area and social media posts too.
There really is something for everyone in the programme, and for all different age groups too. Activities including practical action like litter picks, bike repair, bird-box making, planting and balsam bashing; to more creative sessions involving writing and performing songs, poems, messy art and green craft activities, as well as connecting with nature on walks, through films and observing and recording plants and animals.
Great Big Green Week overlaps with National Volunteers Week, Open Farm Sunday and the Eden Project’s Big Lunch too, so the range of activities give a chance for people to find out more about local groups in their area and maybe get more involved with volunteering.
The ‘Together for Good’ slogan really sums up my belief that communities coming together can really making a positive difference in their neighbourhood, for nature and humans alike! People are welcome to get in touch with me if they can’t get along to any of the listed events, but would like to do more to help on climate and biodiversity, and I’ll do my best to assist to link you into the Cumbria Sustainability Network. My email is helen.attewell@futureproofcumbria.org.uk
Building momentum on climate action
Other climate-related events that you might see springing up around Cumbria may be linked to screenings of the People’s Emergency Briefing. This film features footage from last November’s National Emergency Briefing, which was chaired by Futureproof’s patron, Mike Berners-Lee, and brought together leading UK experts in climate science, food security, health, economics, national security and nature. National Emergency Briefing – the film
The People’s Emergency Briefing is 45 minutes long and is fronted by Chris Packham. It presents a clear, measured overview of how the climate and nature crisis is affecting everyday life in Britain – and what the evidence says about risks and responses. The initiative is explicitly non-partisan, and is supported by a wide range of organisations including the National Trust, Church of England, Exeter University, the Royal Meteorological Society, WWF, National Education Union, and many more.
The aim is to use the film as a way of raising awareness of these issues, both within the community and with our elected representatives, as well as lobbying for a national governmental awareness programme on climate to be developed for television and social media. Screenings have already taken place in Grange, Ulverston, Arnside, Carlisle and Ambleside, including a special session in Penrith where we discussed how to improve support for novice facilitators and provide information about how audiences can find out more and get more involved.
More screenings are in the pipeline and details of where and when can be found on this interactive map: NEB screenings. I’d really encourage other organisations to think about hosting an event – all the details you require are here NEB – host the film, but I’d be very happy to offer my support too. Just get in touch with me at helen.attewell@futureproofcumbria.org.uk and I can pass on all the hints and tips that we have gathered from previous events to ensure that everything goes smoothly. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Free training for young people
Futureproof Cumbria can offer their brilliant climate training to children over 10 and young people in the Copeland area for free! Their expert trainers will come to your school or youth group, which will empower trainees to understand climate science, share their views, and turn learning into action.
Pick from Climate Fresk or their accredited Climate & Carbon Literacy training.
Free training course: Be equipped to support your clients with energy costs
Dates in June and July, online. With everything so uncertain and worrying again around energy prices, now is the time to get equipped to support your clients as best you can with whatever happens next.
The Community Energy Ambassadors project offers:
- • 3 x 1.5 hour CPD-certified training course – this covers energy prices, tariffs, advice to give to clients, understanding energy use, costs of appliances, the best ways to save energy in the home, smart meters, energy efficiency, and all of the schemes available to support households with their energy costs
• A portal of resources, including information sheets, content for social media, advice checklists etc that you can use with clients and/or within local communities
• Access to a monthly Energy Ambassadors newsletter which provides regular updates on all things related to energy and support schemes
• Invitations to online update events 2-3 times per year
Cost? This is all completely free to anyone working or living in Yorkshire, the Northeast or Cumbria thanks to funding from Northern Gas Networks. The course is informal yet very informative!
Find upcoming dates and links to book on here
No Mow May 2026
Friday 1st – Sunday 31st May. No Mow May is Plantlife’s annual campaign urging everyone to pack away their lawnmowers and let wildflowers grow freely and help nature.
No Mow May is one of the easiest ways to help the environment – letting wildflowers like daisies, dandelions and clovers grow while supporting bees and butterflies.
Conversation café and slow cycle
Saturday 16th May, Carlisle. A slow cycle ride through the streets of Carlisle (route tbc) hosted by Sustainable Carlisle with a chat at a local food and drink establishment.
The conversation is informal, but it is around a set theme / agenda to gather your thoughts and focus your attention.
Find out more about Conversation café and slow cycle here
World Bee Day 2026
Wednesday 20th May. World Bee Day celebrates the importance of bees in our ecosystem.
The public can help bees by planting bee friendly plants in their gardens and encouraging their councils to plant wildflower meadows and leave grass verges to allow wildflowers to bloom.
Power up your home with solar PV
Wednesday 27th May, Arnside. This FREE event (in partnership with Sustainable Arnside) will explore the costs, benefits, and options of installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and home battery storage. Local, vetted, MCS Accredited installers will be on hand to answer your questions, and we can support you with quotes and guidance throughout your installation journey.
We’ll unpack key concepts such as self-consumption, exporting to the grid, and smart tariffs to help you decide if solar PV is right for your home.
The panel of installers will be joined by a local householder who has benefitted from solar panels. They’ll do their best to answer all your questions — from “Should I choose in-roof, on-roof, or ground-mounted panels?” and “How big is a battery and where does it go?” to “What are the payback periods?” and “Do I need planning permission?”.
Find out more about Power up your home with solar PV and book here
Environmental and sustainability policy workshop
Thursday 28th May, online. This workshop will cover the importance of having a policy, how to write one, and how to implement effective action plans.
It’s designed to help organisations adopt environmentally sustainable practices and understand their impact on the environment.
Brampton and Fellside Repair Cafe
Saturday 30th May, Brampton. Have items gathering dust that need repairing?
From electrical items to clothes, repair cafes use volunteers to run informal and friendly events where you can save items from landfill.
Find out more about Brampton and Fellside Repair Cafe here
Cartmel Peninsula Repair Cafe
Friday 5th June, Grange-over-Sands. The wonderful volunteer repairers offer textile repairs, zips, darning etc, electronics repairs, repairs of mechanical, wood and metal items, plus electrical repairs.
There will also be refreshments!
Find out more about Carmel Peninsula Repair Cafe here
The Big Lunch
Friday 5th – Monday 8th June.
The Big Lunch is the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours and communities, with millions of people coming together for a few hours of friendship, food and fun.
It’s a great way to get to know each other better, have a good time and celebrate where you live.
Find out more about the Big Lunch here
Open Farm Sunday
Sunday 7th June.
Visit a farm on Open Farm Sunday and find out about the story behind our food and how farming affects our everyday lives.
Each Open Farm Sunday event is unique. Activities range from machinery displays, tractor and trailer rides, through to demonstrations, nature walks and much more!
Find an event in your area here
Great Big Green Week
Saturday 6th – Sunday 14th June.
Be part of the UK’s largest celebration of climate and nature. Each year, Great Big Green Week sees thousands of events in towns and cities across the country, showing the power we have when we act for people, climate and nature.
You can be part of this movement in 2026. Get inspired by what others have achieved and start imagining what you and your community can do next year. Whether it’s a big event or a small action, every step adds up to a greener future.
Find out more about how to get involved in Great Big Green Week here
Climate & Carbon Literacy
Tuesday 23rd & 30th June, online. Take a deep dive into the causes of climate change and what we can do about it in this accredited online course. Pay-what-you-can tickets for those living, working or studying in Cumbria.
Find out more about Climate & Carbon Literacy and book here
New local climate action research published
How do some local climate projects achieve such remarkable impact? Carbon Copy commissioned leading sustainability consultancy Eunomia to conduct UK-wide research and find out what makes some place-based climate and nature projects successful. The new report, titled From Footprint to Changeprint, was published in March 2026.
The report’s findings are based on desk research and in-depth interviews with highly successful projects across the UK to give a 360-degree perspective across diverse case studies.
Watch the Carbon Copy podcast for their insights into the report.
Green Community Grants Programme – The Wildlife Trusts
Amount available: up to £25,000.
Deadline: Applications for 2026 will be accepted in the following windows:
Round Two: Wednesday 24th June 2026 to Wednesday 15th July 2026.
Round Three: Wednesday 30th September 2026 to Thursday 1st October 2026.
The funding is for organisations whose main aims and objectives fit with one of the following Fund’s themes:
- Contributing to nature recovery and responding to the climate emergency.
- Improving nature-rich spaces and access to them.
The grants can be used for a wider range of sustainable activities, including recycling, litter picking, beach cleans or sustainable transport.
To be eligible, applicants must have an annual income between £10,000 and £1 million in the most recent financial year.
As funding is generally oversubscribed, priority will be given to organisations:
- With an income of £250,000 or below.
- That work in communities located in the top 15% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation.
- Whose main activities are focused on supporting marginalised groups. This could include, but is not limited to, disabled people, communities experiencing racial inequity, and LGBT+ people.
- Organisations whose objects or purpose within its governing document relate to habitat or species restoration/protection.
Groups can apply for no more than 25% of their annual income listed on their most recent set of signed accounts.
Find out more about Green Community Grants Programme – The Wildlife Trusts here
Political and media narratives driving false “backlash” against net zero, says IPPR
Progressive politicians risk making a serious electoral miscalculation if they dilute climate ambition in response to populist right attacks, according to new analysis from The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and Persuasion UK.
The research reveals that claims of a voter backlash against net zero are overstated, with political division among elites and distorted media narratives – not public opinion – posing the biggest risk to climate progress. The analysis finds that British public remains consistently supportive of the UK’s 2050 net zero target, with around 60 per cent of people support the goal.
Find out more and download the report
