The start of a New Year is the perfect time to set goals and intentions for 2026. Let’s make this a positive year of growth and opportunity, drowning out all of the negativity which seems to only get louder.
From our interactions with businesses there are great things happening in Cumbria and people are looking ahead with optimism and here at Cumbria Business Growth Hub we’re developing a training programme for 2026 to support you, your employees and business to be the best you can be.
Make a great start to 2026 by booking a place(s) at one or more of our below courses running in January and February, there’s something for everyone!
From Good to Exceptional: Raising Your Own Leadership Bar
Date: Tuesday, 27th January 2026
Time: 10am to 12noon
Price: £50 +VAT members / £65 +VAT non members
Venue: Online
Being “good” is safe — but exceptional leaders go further. They stretch, adapt, and hold themselves accountable to higher standards. This energising, practical workshop helps experienced business owners and leaders move beyond habit and comfort, using reflection and strategy to raise their leadership bar.
You’ll identify where confidence has slipped into complacency, uncover the small changes that create big shifts, and explore what separates consistent, credible leaders from the rest. Together, we’ll build a simple but powerful three-point action plan to help you drive stronger results, better communication, and lasting impact.
Expect real conversation, interactive reflection, and practical tools you can apply immediately.
Made Smarter – find out how to access expert advice, leadership training and grant funding
Date: Wednesday, 28th January 2026
Time: 10am to 11am
Price: £25 +VAT
Venue: Online
Made Smarter is a UK Government-backed programme designed to help manufacturing SMEs adopt the digital technologies they need to drive sustainable growth. We support manufacturers to make smarter use of technology – improving productivity, resilience and competitiveness. Manufacturing covers many sectors not just those you think of as traditional manufacturers, recent advocates for Made Smarter support are Bakes by Gina and The Toffee Shop.
Since launching in 2019, Made Smarter North West has worked with more than 2,300 manufacturers, delivering over 400 technology projects. These projects are forecast to create almost 2,000 new jobs, upskill nearly 3,500 existing roles, and add £287 million to the regional economy.
Sarah Woodhams, a Technology Adoption Specialist with Made Smarter has over 30 years’ experience working across technology and manufacturing, helping businesses turn digital ideas into practical, real-world improvements that deliver results.
What we’ll cover in this session
The session is focused on helping you take confident first steps towards digital adoption.
One-Day Mental Health Awareness Training
Date: Thursday, 29th January 2026
Time: 10am to 4pm
Price: £110 +VAT members / £135 +VAT non members
Venue: J36 Rural Auction Centre, Crooklands Milnthorpe, LA7 7NU
Join us for a dynamic and interactive one-day course designed to deepen your understanding of common mental health issues—such as anxiety, depression, addiction, and more—and their impact in the workplace.
This engaging session will help you:
Ideal for anyone looking to create a more supportive and informed work environment. Participants will receive internal certification upon completion. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your confidence and compassion in supporting mental wellbeing at work.
This training will be delivered by CADAS.
The Small Business “AI” Marketing Toolbox: Everything You Need in One Session
Date: Wednesday, 11th February
Time: 10am to 1pm
Price: £75 +VAT members / £95 +VAT non members
Venue: Melbreak Hotel, Winscales Road, Great Clifton, Workington CA14 1XS
This course is designed for small businesses who want to dramatically reduce the time they spend creating marketing content, without losing quality or authenticity.
By combining AI driven content writing, graphic design and email marketing participants learn how to create consistent, professional, on brand marketing assets in a fraction of the time.
This session covers everything from social media posts to emails, graphics, templates and full content workflows businesses can use again and again.
Delegates will be required to bring a laptop or tablet to work from as this will be a practical training.
Emergency First Aid at Work
Date: Wednesday, 25th February
Time: 10am to 4pm
Price: £135 +VAT members / £170 +VAT non members
Venue: Foxy’s Suite, Carlisle United, Warwick Road, Carlisle, CA1 1LL
Prepare your team to handle urgent situations with confidence through our Emergency First Aid at Work training course. This essential emergency first aid training provides practical, hands-on experience in basic first aid skills, including CPR, AED use, and managing workplace incidents effectively. As a vital part of your organisation’s emergency response training, this course is perfect for small businesses and low-risk environments. It meets legal requirements and ensures your team is fully prepared to respond to emergencies. Build confidence, enhance workplace safety, and stay compliant with this must-have training for every workplace.
Who’s it for?
Our Emergency First Aid at Work course is designed to give you the confidence and capability to handle real-life medical emergencies. You’ll gain a solid foundation in basic first aid skills, from managing wounds and burns to performing CPR and using a defibrillator. This hands-on, practical course goes beyond the theory—providing realistic scenarios and guidance to help you stay calm and take the right action when every second counts. Whether you're in a high-risk workplace or simply want to be prepared, our emergency response training ensures you know exactly what to do in a crisis. It’s an ideal course for nominated first aiders, small business teams, or anyone looking to meet legal health and safety requirements while building the confidence to save a life.
The course covers:
Jennings Brewery Tour - Discover the Jennings Story
Date: Thursday 26th February
Time: 10.30am to 12noon
Price: £25 +VAT
Venue: Castle Brewery, Brewery Lane, Cockermouth, CA13 9NE
Step behind the scenes with a guided tour and uncover the heritage, stories, and secrets that make Jennings so special. From their proud brewing history to the character of their beers, you’ll enjoy a memorable journey through time – finishing with a tasting experience in the Taproom.
Please note
Keeping your business data secure from cyber threats
Keeping your business data secure from cyber threats is our topic for this month’s Cumbria Chamber of Commerce Webinar.
Over the past 6 months we have seen cyber threats impacting some major high-street names, and keeping your business as secure as you can from these threats should be high on your agenda.
Gary Martin from David Allen IT Solutions, shares his knowledge and tips on how to keep your business safe.
Date: 18th February 2026
Time: 10am to 11am
Price: £25 +VAT
Venue: Online
You can view the current training schedule here – we’ll be adding to this over the coming months. If there’s any training you need just email Lesley Robinson, Head of Business Growth & Support who will look into this for you. We can also offer in-house training for you and your employees.
One benefit of Chamber membership is reduced rates for all training. If you haven’t considered becoming a member of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, the savings on training alone make the yearly fee worthwhile. There’s also much more on offer through membership so if you’d like to find out more email info@cumbriachamber.co.uk and one of the sales team will make contact.
