New partnership formed to promote farmer collaboration
Farmers across Cumbria are being invited to register their interest in joining a new initiative aiming to strengthen collaboration and support the long-term future of farming in the county.
Cumbria Farmer Network, Cumbria Community Foundation, the Food Farming and Countryside Commission and the Cumbria Combined Authority have formed a partnership to bid for funding from the DEFRA Farmer Collaboration Fund (FCF).
This fund supports practical, farmer-led projects that help farmers and land managers work together to improve sustainability, productivity and resilience.
Cumbria already has a number of successful farm cluster groups where farmers share knowledge and coordinate their activities in support of their farms, the economy and the natural environment. The Cumbrian partnership wants to build on that success by working with existing groups and encouraging new ones to form to ensure the whole farming community can benefit.
Farmers interested in finding out more or registering their interest are encouraged to visit https://www.cumbriafarmercollaboration.org.uk/
The partnership is seeking three years' funding to strengthen existing farmer groups, create new ones and help participating farms develop stronger business plans for the future.
Veronica Waller, Senior Project Manager with Cumbria Farmer Network, said: “We know that farmers greatly benefit from working together in groups, so we are urging any farmers or groups interested in being part of the bid to contact us as soon as possible. We are gathering expressions of interest ahead of the fund opening for applications on 1 September.”
The Kings Award for Enterprise 2027
Could your business be recognised with the UK’s most prestigious business award?
Applications for The King’s Awards for Enterprise 2027 are now open.
Whether you’re exporting around the globe, driving innovation, championing sustainability, creating opportunities in your community, or leading the way as a young entrepreneur, this could be your moment to shine.
Award categories:
Why apply?
Applications close at 1pm on 8th September 2026.
You can find out more and apply here
Mobile Jobcentre Services across Furness and South Lakes
The Department for Work and Pensions want to break down the barriers that stop people from finding work, and that means meeting people where they are.
The Job Centres on Wheels bring Jobcentre Plus services to more communities in Furness and the South Lakes including rural areas and towns that don't have a jobcentre.
The mobile Jobcentres offer a range of services including job searching support, information on training opportunities, and advice for those with health conditions or disabilities. They will also offer guidance on accessing childcare cost support.
Work coaches are available on-site, available to offer personalised support.
For the latest locations, see the website where schedules are published and updated regularly: Mobile Jobcentre Plus: Barrow timetable - JobHelp
New Game Changers Challenge for Cumbrian Businesses - Automated deployment device
Sellafield Ltd is seeking an innovative automated deployment device and remote control system to support the retrieval of highly active granular waste from Bulk Storage Tanks using pneumatic conveying.
The solution must remotely position and control a vacuum lance to maximise waste retrieval while providing continuous feedback on system position, material flow and operating conditions. The technology should be radiation tolerant, minimise blockages and be adaptable for future waste retrieval applications across Sellafield.
A live webinar with the challenge owners will be held at 2pm (GMT+1) on Thursday 20th August 2026. Deadline for applications: 3pm Thursday 10th September 2026. Find out more and register for the webinar here.
Become a JOY Maker! | Grand Départ GB 2027
There is now just over a month to seize the opportunity and sign up to be part of a team of JOY Makers at next summer’s Tour de France. Applications are open until 1 September 2026.
Anyone aged 16 and over is encouraged to apply to be a JOY Maker, with no prior volunteering experience needed. A range of roles to support event operations are available with full training provided. The JOY Makers programme is designed to be accessible to all, from those with experience volunteering at major events and British Cycling activities to first-time volunteers, in particular from underrepresented groups in volunteering, including 16–25-year-olds.
Become a JOY Maker! | Grand Départ GB 2027
If you apply to be a JOY Maker and are 18-25, there is the opportunity to take part in the Readiness to Work Programme. The Readiness to Work programme will see 300 young people, who apply to be JOY Maker volunteers, trained in employability skills including application readiness (CV and interviews), resilience, financial education and personal brand, as well as receiving three months of mentoring with a professional in sectors such as sport and performance, event management, professional services, and marketing and communications.
Together, the volunteer programme and Readiness to Work scheme aim to leave a lasting legacy for the Grand Départ in communities across the country.
Registration takes a minute and that allows application for a local stage – get involved if you wish to be part of history.
Self-employed taxpayers warned of National Insurance issue
HMRC has warned taxpayers of an issue potentially affecting those who became self-employed between 2015 and early March 2024. During this period, individuals were required to inform HMRC that they had become self-employed by completing form CWF1. If they failed to do this, they could have gaps in their National Insurance record. HMRC has resolved this issue for 2024/25 onwards.
Read more about the warning here
Coffee, connections & new opportunities in Carlisle
Join Cumbria Chamber of Commerce for our next Business Bites on Tour networking event, hosted by Futureproof Cumbria at The Rebuild Site in Carlisle.
This relaxed morning is a great opportunity to meet businesses from across Cumbria, raise your profile, strengthen existing relationships and discover potential customers, suppliers and collaborators.
But there’s more than networking on the agenda.
You’ll hear from Futureproof Cumbria about its work helping businesses, communities and households across the county reduce costs, save energy and build resilience.
You’ll also discover how businesses can support its work helping local households, including those facing financial pressures or living in hard-to-heat homes.
We’ll then take a look behind the scenes at Rebuild CIC, an innovative social enterprise tackling construction waste by reclaiming and reusing surplus materials for community projects and affordable resale.
On the morning you’ll have chance to:
📅22nd September 2026
⏰10:00am - 11:30pm
📍The Rebuild Site
💷FREE
Eagle Labs Cumbria: Coffee & Connections
Join Eagle Labs Cumbria for Coffee & Connections, a relaxed monthly networking event at the award-winning The Bus Station, Whitehaven.
Whether you're a founder, freelancer, start-up, business owner, or simply looking to grow your network, this informal one-hour session is the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people from across the local business community.
Enjoy a coffee, grab a pastry, and make meaningful new connections in one of Cumbria's most unique coworking and innovation spaces.
What to expect:
✅ Informal networking with local business owners and founders
✅ Opportunities to share ideas, challenges and opportunities
✅ Learn more about the support available through Barclays Eagle Labs
✅ Meet members of The Bus Station community
✅ A great excuse to step away from your desk and expand your network
No presentations. No pitches. Just good coffee, great conversations, and valuable connections.
📅 Date: Tuesday 29th September 2026
⏰ Time: 10:30 to 11:30
📍 The Bus Station, Whitehaven
☕ Coffee & pastries provided
Come along, make new connections, and start your day with great conversations.
Register here:- Sign Up
Entries Launched: Northern International Trade Awards 2026
The prestigious International Trade Awards are returning for 2026 and is open to businesses across the North of England.
Following last year's success, these awards will once again celebrate the achievements of the North's top exporters, importers and their supply chains. Being part of this awards evening is a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of your company's international expertise. The event celebrates first-time exporters, global giants, inspirational importers and exporters, and innovative companies on the world stage.
Categories
The categories for 2026 will reflect the exceptional and diverse work undertaken across the North. Entry deadline: Friday 11th September
Growth Guarantee Scheme
On 12 July 2026, the Chancellor announced a significant increase in capacity for the Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) as part of a package of further measures to support smaller businesses.
Included in the package is an increase for GGS, unlocking a further £6.5bn of market lending over the next four years. This will help an estimated 33,000 businesses across all Nations and regions of the UK to access the finance they need to invest and grow.
The Chancellor has also announced that GGS will offer greater flexibility to support facility terms up to ten years for Term Loans and Asset Finance. In addition, annual turnover eligibility will increase from £45m to £54m, supporting a broader range of scaling and high-potential smaller businesses.
The British Business Bank is working with accredited lenders to operationalise these enhancements and make this extra capacity available in line with the scheme’s objectives over the coming weeks.
The Growth Guarantee Scheme remains fully operational under the existing terms through The British Business Banks accredited Lenders. View a full list of accredited lenders here.
You can find out more about the scheme here
Some small businesses to benefit from reduced electricity bills
Small businesses that are not VAT-registered in England, Wales and Scotland will benefit from the removal of VAT for six months from domestic electricity bills starting on 1 October 2026. Some charities and care homes will also benefit. Comparable funding will be provided to the NI Executive, with the expectation that a similar policy will be introduced.
Read more about the VAT cut here
Support to help farmers collaborate
A new fund will open for applications in September 2026 to help farmers work together to cut costs, strengthen their businesses and unlock new opportunities. The £30 million Farmer Collaboration Fund will provide funding for practical, farmer-led collaboration through peer learning, specialist advice and support for new groups. The fund will be delivered through charities, local authorities and non-government organisations providing farmers with access to local expertise and practical support.
Read more about the fund here
Applications Open: Subsidised Skills Bootcamps
Are you looking to develop new skills or those of your workforce, progress in your career, or explore new opportunities? The University of Cumbria is currently offering three Skills Bootcamps for individuals who are employed or self-employed and living or working in Cumbria.
Subsidised by the Department for Education, these flexible programmes provide an excellent opportunity to gain valuable, industry-relevant skills with expert support. Additional eligibility criteria apply.
Project Management Skills Bootcamp
Develop the practical knowledge and confidence to plan, lead and deliver successful projects. This bootcamp is ideal for those looking to enhance their existing role or move into project management across a variety of sectors.
Business and Leadership for Social Enterprise Skills Bootcamp
Designed for those working in, supporting, or aspiring to establish a social enterprise, this programme focuses on leadership, business development, sustainability and creating positive social impact.
Gain in-demand digital skills in User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design. Learn how to create engaging, user-centred digital products through design thinking, research, prototyping and testing.
Interested?
Whether you're looking to upskill your employees, reskill or advance your career, these Skills Bootcamps offer a fantastic opportunity to gain practical skills and industry knowledge.
Places are limited. To find out more, check your eligibility and apply, visit the links above or email uocskillsbootcamps@cumbria.ac.uk
Social Investment Business
Social Investment Business (SIB) finance social change. Through a mix of funding, investment and innovation, they back the organisations that make up the social economy – those tackling inequality, improving lives, and driving positive change every day. Their role is to provide the support, flexibility, and trusted partnership needed to thrive.
While social investment is defined as the use of repayable finance, like loans or shares, to help charities and social enterprises, the work at SIB goes beyond this. As well as repayable finance, they provide a wide range of support to the social sector including grants, blended finance, expert support and innovation.
You can find out more here
Scheme to support smaller exporters
A joint scheme between UK Export Finance and British Business Bank will help small and medium-sized businesses access the finance they need to expand their export potential and grow. Launching in spring 2027, the scheme will address the gap in finance for smaller business exporters, particularly those seeking lower-value working capital. The scheme will be open to businesses across all sectors and will support lending facilities, including term loans and working capital.
Read more about the scheme here
£300,000 fund to support local communities
Cumbria Local Resilience Forum has awarded £300,000 to Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) to manage and deliver the programme over the next two years.
The funding will provide small grants to community organisations that have a community resilience plan in place, helping them to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and local challenges.
The aim is to help fund community groups to put practical plans in place, from improving local coordination to strengthening how communities support one another before, during and after emergencies.
Read more on the Cumbria Combined Authority website
New £15,000 funding opportunity for Cumbrian social entrepreneurs supporting young people
Since 2008, the Shackleton Foundation has been backing courageous, early-stage social entrepreneurs across the UK, in the spirit of the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Their focus is what they call the “first mile” - the riskiest and often least-supported stage of launching a social venture, when the idea may still be taking shape and most funders won’t take a chance. Over 70 Shackleton Leaders have been backed to date, each receiving seed funding alongside a package of practical support and an active alumni community. On average, each Leader goes on to support around 1,600 young people in the three years following their award.
With Francis Scott Trust funding, the Foundation is running its first ever Cumbria-only round of the Shackleton Award, and is looking for an outstanding individual whose new venture will make a real difference to the lives of children and young people in the county.
What’s on offer
Who we’re looking for
The Foundation is looking for an individual based in Cumbria with a fresh, ambitious idea that:
Key dates
A more detailed information sheet for potential applicants is available here
Get the recognition your organisation deserves – for free
The Good Business Charter (GBC) is a charity on a mission to recognise and celebrate every responsible business across the UK.
If your organisation demonstrates good business practices across 10 key areas, including employee wellbeing, environmental responsibility, diversity and inclusion, fair tax, and ethical sourcing - you could achieve free GBC accreditation and join over 1000 organisations, large and small recognised for their good business practices.
Achieving accreditation is straightforward. It's completely free, and the application typically takes less than an hour to complete.
Accreditation is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to responsible business, build trust with customers and partners, attract like-minded employees, and highlight the positive impact your organisation makes.
Find out more here
River Capital backs Cumbria's Lakeland Lights with £35,000 NPIF II investment
River Capital has provided a £35,000 loan to Lakeland Lights Company Ltd, a luxury soy candle and home fragrance brand based in Cleator Moor, West Cumbria, through NPIF II – River Capital & GC Business Finance Smaller Loans, managed by River Capital & GC Business Finance as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.
The investment will help the business accelerate the launch of two new regional product collections and expand production of its flagship Advent Calendar range.
Founded in 2019 by husband and wife directors James Long and Joanna Iles, Lakeland Lights has grown from a home-based start-up to a commercial manufacturing operation generating six figures in annual turnover and representing consistent year-on-year revenue growth of 30–40% over seven years.
The business employs six people, including both directors, and manufactures all products in-house at its three Phoenix Court workshops in Cleator Moor.
You can read the full story here
Cumbria Local Skills Improvement Plan is now live and ready to review
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce is pleased to share the latest findings, insights and recommendations that will help shape future skills and workforce priorities across the region.
Click here to read the report and explore the key opportunities, challenges and actions identified through extensive engagement with employers and partners.
Innovate UK current open opportunities
There are a number of open opportunities available through Innovate UK, below are the current opportunities you may like to look at and consider.
Upcoming opportunities….
