We are delighted by the interest in Zero Carbon Cumbria and the momentum that’s building in support of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2037.  

The partnership brings together more than 70 organisations from the public, private and third sectors. Its work is led and inspired by our local communities and built around the voices of our young people. 

New staff 

Thanks to National Lottery funding, several of the partnership’s key staff are now in post including Tim Gale, Partnership Manager, based at Cumbria County Council; Karen Gardner, Communications Manager, based at CAfS; David Pickup, Carbon Monitoring Officer, who is based at the Lake District National Park; and Natalie Naisbitt, the Local Authority Coordinator, based at Cumbria County Council. Roles in community development and events and training are currently being recruited. 

Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership Meeting  

The partnership held a virtual meeting, attended by more than 60 people, on 9 February, where a range of organisations reported on the work they were doing to achieve zero carbon by 2037.  

Partnership Sector Groups   

The partnership is in the process of setting up groups to look at how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in various sectors, and it was good to see that encouraging progress is being made by the housing and waste sector groups. The partnership will shortly set up additional sector groups covering topics such as transport, tourism and agriculture. If you would like more information about the sector groups, please contact Tim Gale. 

Grow Local Eat Local  

We are also very encouraged that some of the partnership’s projects that will benefit from the National Lottery funding are beginning to get under way. The Grow Local, Eat Local project, which is being managed by VistaVeg from Penrith, is looking for farmers who are considering diversifying and who are able to set aside at least an acre a year from 2021 to 2025 to grow fruit and vegetable crops.  To find out more, please contact Lynn Barnes [email protected]

Repair Directory

Also, a Repair Directory is now live on the Future Fixers website, where people can find a repair business for something that needs fixing or add a repair business to the directory.