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 February and March, there’s something for everyone!
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.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Delegates will be required to bring a laptop or tablet to work from as this will be a practical training.
Keeping your business data secure from cyber threats
Date: Wednesday, 18th February 2026
Time: 10am to 11am
Price: £25 +VAT
Venue: Online
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.
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:
Excel for Beginners
Date: Wednesday, 11th March
Time: 9am to 4pm
Price: £135 +VAT members / £215 +VAT non members
Venue: The Roundthorn Country Hotel, Penrith, CA11 8SJ
This course is suitable for delegates who are new to Excel or are self-taught and wish to ensure they make the most of the basic functions. There are no prerequisites however, you must have a basic understanding of using a PC, including keyboard and mouse familiarity.
The aim of the course is to provide you with the skills to create and print a spreadsheet containing text, numbers and simple formulae and calculations.
Course Outline
Delegates will be asked to carry out exercises as we progress so will be required to bring a laptop or tablet. Handouts will be provided for reference during the course.
Microsoft Copilot Training
Date: Wednesday, 18th March 2026
Time: 9am to 1.30pm
Price: £55 +VAT members / £70 +VAT non members
Venue: Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Broadacre House, 16 - 20 Lowther Street, Carlisle, CA3 8DA
Using Co-pilot(AI) with Microsoft Products
Join us for an exciting session where we will delve into the world of Artificial Intelligence and how it can enhance your experience with Microsoft Products.
From productivity tools to cloud services, discover how AI is revolutionizing the way we work and interact with technology.
This in-person event will be held in Carlisle, so mark your calendars and come ready to learn and network with like-minded individuals. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in the tech world!
This training delivered by Lorraine Millican of Lake Mill Consulting covers:
Introduction to AI in Microsoft 365
AI in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
AI in Microsoft Teams and Outlook
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.
