Volunteer and be part of the Tour de France
Around 9,000 volunteers will be recruited across Scotland, England and Wales to support the delivery of the event. Known as ‘JOY Makers’, volunteers will help welcome spectators, support event operations and contribute to the smooth running of all six stages.
Cumberland is set to take centre stage when the Grand Départs arrives in Summer 2027. Carlisle will host the finish of Stage One on Friday 2 July, as riders travel from the race’s opening in Edinburgh, while Keswick will host the start of Stage Two on Saturday 3 July. The route will then travel through the Lake District, giving local communities a unique opportunity to be part of this globally recognised event.
Volunteering roles will be available across both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, with opportunities suited to a wide range of interests. National Volunteers’ Week provides a timely reminder of the value of volunteering and the positive impact it can have, both for individuals and for communities.
Anyone aged 16 and over can apply, with no previous experience required. Full training will be provided, and volunteers will have the chance to develop new skills and be part of this huge international sporting event.
Applications are now open for anyone interested in getting involved, with opportunities available across all six stages of the event. Registrations opened on Wednesday 27 May and will remain open until Tuesday 1 September 2026.
You can find out more here
Chamber Business Awards 2026
We are excited to announce that the Chamber Business Awards 2026 are now open for entries!
The Chamber Business Awards are one of the most prestigious events in the business calendar, recognising and celebrating the very best of British business.
New for 2026, the Winner of Winners will be announced at the Chamber Awards Gala Dinner on Wednesday 14 October, bringing together businesses from across the network for an evening of celebration, recognition and connection.
This national awards programme provides an opportunity to showcase your achievements on a national stage, highlight the positive impact your business is making, and gain recognition for your success.
The categories are:
Future of Work award
A business that demonstrates a strong commitment to recruiting, developing and retaining a skilled, diverse workforce, embedding inclusive practices into its culture and showing how this has improved performance, productivity and long-term sustainability.
Connecting Places award
This award celebrates organisations that bring together businesses, communities, education, and public or voluntary sector partners to create opportunity, improve accessibility, and support sustainable economic growth.
Digital Revolution award
A business that has transformed the market that they operate in, or their product or service, by implementing cutting-edge technologies.
Global Britain award
A business that has demonstrated significant and sustained international growth through a clear understanding of overseas markets, proving that borders are not a barrier to trade.
Green Innovation award
This award will recognise organisations with sustainability at the heart of their business. They are fully committed to sustainable best practice and making the world a better and safer place.
Entering is simple, please get in touch with Rebecca Fox at rebecca@cumbriachamber.co.uk with the reason why you should win the award.
Entries close on Wednesday 15 July 2026.
BECBC Awards 2026 – Entries Now Open
Entries are now open for the BECBC Awards 2026 – our flagship celebration of the innovation, collaboration and excellence that you, our members, deliver.
Open to organisations of all sizes and sectors, the awards provide a powerful platform to showcase your achievements and gain recognition from across the region and beyond. Could it be you standing on the stage in November this year?
Whether you’re driving growth, delivering social value, championing sustainability or developing the next generation, this is your opportunity to stand alongside the very best in our network.
Entering not only raises your organisation’s profile, but also offers valuable reflection on your successes and a chance to engage with industry leaders through the judging process.
Find out more about categories and apply here
Local authorities to restrict certain shops
The Government has announced that local authorities in England will be granted new powers to restrict the number of certain shops on the high street. The shops which can be restricted include vape shops, barbers shops, adult gaming centres and bookmakers. Local authorities will also be able to take over empty shops and use the space to run services, activities or businesses.
Read more about the powers here
Expenses and records – get your tax return right
Keeping good records and claiming the right expenses not only helps when it comes to completing your tax return, it also ensures you pay the correct tax. You can get it right with HMRC’s online help and support.
Join the following live webinars, and if you’ve got a question, pop it into the on-screen text box:
Finishing your online tax return
Find out how you finish your online tax return by registering for this webinar, during which we’ll cover:
Your Self-Assessment calculation and payment
Register for this webinar about your Self-Assessment calculation and payments, including:
Car expenses for the self-employed
If you use your own car for business, register for this webinar and HMRC will tell you about:
HMRC’s YouTube channel offers more help with short videos. Explore their tailored playlists, including:
Government support with fuel costs
Rising fuel costs continue to put significant pressure on businesses, with British Chambers of Commerce research showing that even before the Iran conflict, 28% of firms were already under pressure to raise prices due to fuel costs, rising sharply to 61% for transport and logistics firms.
The government has responded by extending the 5p fuel duty cut for the rest of the year, alongside additional targeted support. This includes a 12-month road tax holiday for hauliers, and a reduction of over a third in fuel duty for farmers, rail freight, and other red diesel users. We have welcomed the government's decision to extend the fuel duty cut.
This support provides some short-term relief on operating costs, particularly for energy-intensive and transport-reliant sectors. However, the underlying issue of fuel volatility remains, meaning cost pressures and pricing decisions will continue to be a challenge.
You can read the full response here
Procurement spend with SMEs hits six-year high
New British Chambers of Commerce and Tussell data shows SME procurement has reached a six-year high, with £45.2bn spent directly with small businesses in 2025. This is equivalent to 21% of total public sector spend, reflecting on the early impact of the Procurement Act.
This is a real opportunity for SMEs. Public contracts are increasingly within reach and can provide a vital, stable source of income. But the picture is uneven. While local government is leading the way, accounting for £29.1bn and 34% of SME spend, central government is falling behind, missing its targets by an average of 8.4%.
Access also varies sharply by sector, with strong opportunities in areas like education and recruitment, but very limited access in sectors like defence. This inconsistency means many SMEs are still locked out of major opportunities, despite overall progress.
We’re encouraging businesses to explore public procurement opportunities, particularly at a local level where access is strongest. You can find out more by reading the full report here
Business crime rising sharply
New British Chambers of Commerce research has shown that business crime is rising sharply, with 42% of UK firms experiencing theft, fraud, scams or cyber-attacks in the past year. This is no longer a one-off risk; it’s a persistent and growing threat that is draining time, money and confidence from businesses of all sizes.
Read the full report here
Westmorland & Furness Council – business survey now open
If you own or operate a business in Westmorland & Furness, the Council is asking you to take part in their annual business survey, ensuring views and insights are gathered to inform future economic support strategies and policies.
It’s of crucial importance that business owners and leaders from all types of businesses, from multinationals to those based at home, give their views and share their knowledge.
Issues covered in the survey include levels of confidence for the next 12 months, projected staffing levels, anticipated future business premises needs and the importance of addressing client change and skills.
You can take part in the annual business survey here
The Diverse Cumbria Awards are now open
The Diverse Cumbria Awards exist to recognise and celebrate those who are making our region more diverse, more representative, and more welcoming, across business, education, the voluntary sector, and beyond.
These are people who often go unrecognised, and that's exactly what we want to change.
If there's an individual, team, or organisation in your network doing outstanding work in this space, please nominate them HERE - DIVERSE CUMBRIA NOMINATIONS. It only takes a few minutes.
Nominations close on 15th July at 5pm.
Update for Animal Activity Licence Holders
The DEFRA statutory guidance for all animal activities licensing has recently been updated.
If you hold a licence, it’s important to review the latest guidance and ensure you remain compliant with current animal welfare standards.
The updated guidance includes stricter requirements, and you may need to make changes to your practices.
Failing to stay up to date could:
• Impact the welfare of animals in your care
• Affect your licence star rating
You can view the latest DEFRA guidance here
We strongly encourage all licence holders to check the new requirements as soon as possible.
The Youth Guarantee
The Youth Guarantee is the government’s commitment to ensure that every young person aged 16 to 24 has the support and opportunities to get into work or education. Over the next three years, the government will invest £2.5 billion to help young people build skills, gain experience and progress into employment or further learning. This investment will support almost one million young people and unlock up to 500,000 jobs, training and learning opportunities. For employers, the Youth Guarantee offers access to fully funded training, financial incentives and a pipeline of young talent. This support is designed to help you fill skills gaps today while investing in your future workforce. To sign up to be part of the Youth Guarantee, please visit business.gov.uk/recruit – you can also read more here
Crisis and Resilience Fund toolkit
The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) is a new fund providing a safety net for people in England who are in crisis and in need of immediate financial help, including with housing costs in some instances. It also supports people to build long-term financial resilience for the future.
A toolkit has been developed containing communications materials to raise awareness and help develop understanding of the CRF within local communities.
The toolkit contains social media assets, suggested social media copy, and posters.
The CRF replaces the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments.
Fund for young start ups
Recruitment company Reed has launched a fund to support at least three 18- to 26-year-olds start up and run a business. The All About Business Entrepreneurs Fund will provide each entrepreneur with funding of £20,000, as well as expert mentorship. Applicants must have been trading for less than three years and have at least one paying customer.
Read more about the fund here
Funding platform for construction and manufacturing sectors
A new specialist finance platform has been launched to transform access to funding for small and medium-sized businesses in the construction and manufacturing sectors. SME Funded connects business owners with over 130 lenders offering a wide range of funding solutions tailored specifically to the needs of construction and manufacturing businesses. These include business loans, asset finance, equipment finance, bridging and property finance, motor finance and software finance.
Read more about the platform here
Funding to develop innovative farming solutions
Innovate UK and Defra have launched a funding competition which will provide up to £5 million to SMEs to develop innovative farming solutions. The aim of the competition is to develop solutions, technologies, systems or approaches that will make significant steps towards improving productivity, profitability, increasing sustainability and resilience in the agriculture sector.
Read more about the competition here
BAE Systems and 'Women in Nuclear'
Sign up for a special event at no charge, hosted by BAE Systems and the Royal Navy, celebrating BAE Systems' membership of 'Women in Nuclear UK', incorporating their Supply Chain partners, local and Enterprise stakeholders and colleagues from across the business.
Taking place on Tuesday 16 June at The Dock Museum, Barrow, from 2pm to 4pm learn why partnering with Women in Nuclear UK is important to BAE as a business, culturally and to delivering the promises made to customers.
Hear from women and allies in the business and from the network, and from special guests with nuance and insight to share, along with structured networking.
Sign up via Eventbrite here.
Lakeland Logs launches Lakeland Charcoal
Produced in Penrith, Lakeland Charcoal is crafted using sustainably sourced British hardwood and an ultra efficient, low emission retort method. This modern process creates a superior, clean burning charcoal that delivers maximum quality with minimum waste. Available alongside natural firelighters, fire pit logs and apple smoking chips, Lakeland Charcoal is available for trade and public sales — ideal for BBQ enthusiasts, home cooks, professional chefs and local retailers looking for a reliable, locally made fuel with exceptional performance.
Visit Lakeland Logs here
BBC Children in Need – core grants
BBC Children in Need’s Core Grants Programme supports smaller, local not-for-profit organisations across the UK working with children and young people aged 18 or under. Grants can fund essential running costs such as management, HR, office costs, communications, evaluation and governance.
Funding is available for up to three years, with quicker decisions expected for applications of £15,000 or less per year. Organisations with a turnover of over £1 million are not eligible for Core Grants, and BBC Children in Need will not fund work that has already taken place or costs incurred before a decision is made.
There is no application deadline – you can find out more here
Westmorland & Furness Council – annual report 2025-2026
The Council’s annual report for 2025-26 is now available, highlighting the progress made in delivering priorities for the place and places of Westmorland & Furness.
You can view the full report here
Free Food Safety training
Cumbria Adult Education are offering free Award in Food Safety in Catering level 2 training which looks at preventing contamination, foodborne illnesses, and ensures hygienic practices - protecting your customers and your brand reputation.
Anyone interested should contact Victoria Emmett, Project Lead with Cumbria Adult Learning on 07827 282198 or by emailing victoria.emmett@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
