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CAfS and several industry partners are delighted to have received a significant funding boost of £571,359 to establish a pioneering business decarbonisation hub. The initiative, set to exclusively support the Westmorland & Furness area, is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and aims to bolster the sustainability efforts of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), charities, community businesses, and social enterprises.

Up to 300 local organisations looking to reduce their carbon footprint and save costs will be able to benefit from a range of free and subsidised services, a comprehensive ‘one stop shop’ of carbon reduction support. The services available from the project partners will include expert advice, one-to-one support, training, events and auditing across a wide range of emission sources. The initiative will also distribute £215,000 in grants to support businesses implementing carbon reduction measures.

The programme boasts a diverse group of experienced industry partners, including Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Future Fixers, Cumbria Tourism, Lancaster University, Art Gene, Green Small Business, Electricity Northwest, CBEN, Donna Munro, A Muir Surveying, Verday, and Simon Brace EV Consulting, which will collectively contribute to delivering the different elements of the support programme.

CAfS Low Carbon Communities Programme Manager, Molly Hogg, said, “For several years, we’ve been working together with our partners to support businesses to cut carbon and reap the benefits of becoming more sustainable. It’s fabulous to receive this funding, which allows us to strengthen that collaboration. The grant programme also means organisations can immediately get financial help to act on that advice.”

Watch this space for more details on the support available in the coming weeks. If you have any questions in the meantime please contact [email protected]

Marjolein Thickett comes on board this October to work as a freelance language advisor, editor/proofreader and subtitler for Cumbria Action for Sustainability. Marjolein runs The Native Crowd from the South Lakes, where she lives. In her business, she collaborates with smart and creative individuals and organisations to safeguard our world and promote a healthy and ethical lifestyle. The Native Crowd works with businesses that work in and on the environment, specifically in sports and sustainability.

As part of her company’s commitment to the environment, Marjolein has chosen to volunteer her expertise to CAfS each month. She will be collaborating with the marketing team primarily and will work on consistency and accessibility across our website, social media and YouTube channel.

Marjolein explains her reasons for sharing her expertise with CAfS:

Living in the South Lakes, I’ve always known how important the environment is to me. However, in recent years, I’ve become depressingly aware of just how fragile our world is. Much of my time is spent outdoors, whether climbing or hiking in the local mountains, riding the Grizedale forest trails, or swimming in Coniston and Windermere. I’m therefore keenly aware of all that we would lose should we continue down this climate crisis spiral.

CAfS has been on my radar for a while now, and I’ve been impressed with the incredible work they do in Cumbria. I’ve used their services myself and for close family, so the organization’s commitment to driving positive change at a local level really resonates with me.

As I say to customers, effective communication is a crucial aspect of sustainability initiatives. I believe I can help CAfS convey their message effectively to a broad audience. Whether this is ensuring audiovisual accessibility, editing press releases, creating style guides or refining outreach materials, I aim to ensure that CAfS’ message is clear, engaging, and accessible to a wide range of people. By supporting the communication aspect of their work, I hope to contribute to their efforts in raising awareness and inspiring action on sustainability issues in Cumbria.

Volunteering my time to CAfS allows me to contribute to a cause I’m 100% committed to. It’s also an opportunity for me to use my skills and expertise to support vital work. Volunteering for sustainability causes is not just an opportunity to give back; it’s a chance to be part of positive change in local communities and the wider world. The impact of collective action can be significant, and every contribution matters. I would encourage anyone who’s passionate about sustainability to explore local opportunities to make a difference in their own unique way.

Together, we can make a real impact on the challenges facing our planet.

We’re really exciting to be working with Marjolein, she brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to our communication and is as passionate as we are about the future of Cumbria in the fight against climate change.

CAFS staff and volunteers heard a talk from Joe Human this week about the growing crisis for the coffee industry suffering because of the impact of climate change.

The enlightening talk went through the journey of coffee and the stories of coffee farmers that Joe, who has worked with coffee farmers for over 15 years, has visited.

With over 2bn cups of coffee drunk worldwide every year the impact of climate change on coffee growing countries, such as the increase in annual temperatures and the decrease in rainfall cannot be underestimated. In Ethopia, farmers have reported weather patterns becoming more unreliable and heavy rain which is causing stress to the coffee bushes. The quality of the coffee yields are also impacted by an increase in pests.

This picture is repeated globally,  it has been estimated that areas suitable for coffee growing will be cut by up to 50% by 2050, a direct condequence of the climate crisis.

But there is a way forward – and the Fairtrade Climate Academy, funding by the Dutch national lottery has been exploring ways to mitigate and adapt, and Joe explained the concepts of agroforestry to both encourage biodiversity and to sequester carbon.

The Fairtrade Climate Academy raises awareness of climate change through programmes that target Fairtrade cooperative leaders and focuses on local conditions. As an example; growing shade trees in Kenya which can also be a source of income,  a look at varying irrigation methods and producing a manual for Fairtrade certified coffee producers that is designed to support best practice.

There is no doubt that the impact of the climate crisis is a rising concern for the coffee industry, and, as Joe explained, it is a race against time to save one of our most familiar high street staples.

If you’re interested in this subject, or would like to organise a talk you can contact Joe via email.

We’re really excited to announce, along with our Zero Carbon Cumbria partners,  that we are are launching a new online chat to explore challenges, barriers, opportunities and solutions in response to the climate crisis.

The informal events will be a conversation style; guest speakers with a wide range of experience and experts who can answer questions. And at just half an hour long they will be easy to catch up with in your break.

Each Climate Cafe will have it’s own theme, and they will be recorded to listen to or watch at a later date.

Nigel Jenkins, Zero Carbon Cumbria’s Events and Training Coordinator explains the idea behind the cafes, “We’ll hear from inspirational guests already working on positive solutions to help us reach net zero, who’ll share their knowledge and expertise as we broaden the climate conversation across Cumbria.

The regular cafes will be great opportunities to ask questions, share ideas, and get connected into effective climate responses for Cumbria.

They’ll also support the work of the broad-based Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership, which is fully committed to a countywide net zero target of 2037, and to ensuring that the zero carbon transition is fair and inclusive.”

The first café – on the 12 October – will find out more about the compelling case for rapid emission reduction, the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership’s ambitious commitment to reaching countywide net zero by 2037, and the practical challenges and opportunities this presents for Cumbria.

Sign up for this event here. 

Response from Karen Mitchell, our CEO.

This week has seen some concerning U-turns to the UK’s green policies, including delaying the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035, more time to transition from gas boilers to electric heat pumps and the scrapping of plans for landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties.

Other proposals scrapped are around household recycling, car-sharing, diet and flying.

These changes have implications not just for our work but for everyone concerned about the future of Cumbria and beyond, and flies in the face of the scientific evidence that shows we are in the midst of a climate crisis. Only hours before the Prime Minister’s announcement on 20 September, the UN Sec Gen said ‘Humanity has opened the gates of hell.  Horrendous heat is having horrendous effects.  Distraught farmers watching crops carried away by floods; Sweltering temperatures spawning disease; And thousands fleeing in fear as historic fires rage.’

We are so clearly in a crisis situation – it is no time for dithering or delay. So where does the weakening of targets by Government leave Cumbria where our rural communities, low income families and vulnerable people are hardest hit by climate change?

With fuel bills at a record high and extreme weather conditions impacting lives, our Cold to Cosy Homes service has been inundated with requests for help. This initiative makes people more comfortable in their homes whilst reducing their energy bills.  The U-turn on plans for landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of homes leaves a heavy burden on the shoulders of tenants, but also increases the need for funded services like Cold to Cosy Homes. To help us do more of this kind of work please donate.

As the Chief Executive of a climate change organisation I never imagined I would find myself agreeing with a major global car manufacturer. But in response to the push back of the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles, Lisa Brankin, Ford UK chair has called for “ambition, commitment and consistency” from the Government. She said: “A relaxation of 2030 would undermine all three. We need the policy focus trained on bolstering the EV (electric vehicle) market in the short term and supporting consumers…” And we also need and will continue to call for other options which reduce dependency on private vehicle ownership – such as more public transport, more safe segregated routes for pedestrians and cyclists.

Whilst Government policies wax and wane we will remain unerringly focussed on our vision of a zero carbon Cumbria by 2037 as these U-turns do not change the fact that climate change is real and is happening now. It does not change the legally binding UK Climate Change Act. We will continue to work in partnership with multiple communities and organisations across Cumbria through initiatives like the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership – the biggest collaboration of its kind in the country.

Every day I am heartened by how many people and organisations in Cumbria are taking action on climate change. Only this morning I presented to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales keen to understand the role they can play in climate action. I heard there that nine of the leading accountancy and finance bodies wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister just a few days ago calling for the UK government to show global leadership. It stated:

“The UK must stick to its domestic net zero commitments and provide a clear policy framework to help businesses accelerate innovation and investment…There is enormous potential for net-zero initiatives that restore nature and improve the lives of people and communities.”

Yes to that.

Open letter to the UK Government | ICAEW

Image credit: This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Local charity Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS), widely recognised as the county’s trusted organisation for independent home energy advice, has been awarded over £390K by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to expand their Cold to Cosy Homes service. One of only seven organisations in the North West to be funded, CAfS will be working with the North West Net Zero Hub to deliver the programme.

James Johnson, Head of Regional Programme at North West Net Zero Hub said “The North West Net Zero Hub is delighted to be supporting Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS), along with six other projects through the Local Energy Advice Demonstrator competition. This is exciting news for the North West, and a great opportunity for talented North West organisations to carry out innovative approaches, supporting residents to make homes warmer and bills cheaper.”

The money awarded will be used to create at least 15 new jobs to help to expand CAfS in-demand Cold to Cosy Homes service, which gives free advice and energy saving equipment to a wide variety of households. The new funding will enable CAfS to offer bespoke, impartial home retrofit advice and guidance to nearly 800 vulnerable households over the next two years. This will be supported by a programme of events – online retrofit webinars, open homes events and Cold to Cosy Homes staff providing advice at community events.

CAfS Home Energy Programme Manager, Andrew Northcott said, “Our well-established Cold to Cosy Homes Cumbria service has supported 5,500 people since its inception. This new funding will enable our team to support even more households with specific, detailed, and independent retrofit advice, making even more homes across Cumbria warmer, drier, healthier, and cheaper to heat. By making their homes more energy efficient, it will also reduce their carbon footprint, contributing to our ultimate aim of a zero carbon Cumbria by 2037.”

The two-year funding means that CAfS can develop and enhance its current advice scheme by offering in-depth home retrofit advice to hard-to-reach consumers and hard-to-heat homes, houses that are often traditional stone-built properties, off the gas grid.

Andrew continued “Adding to our existing team of expert advisers, we’ll be able to give advice on the traditional homes we have here in rural Cumbria, such as sympathetic wall insulation, improved ventilation, and low carbon heating sources such as heat pumps, or solar panels. We’ll also be able to signpost to grants and other government schemes.”

CAfS are currently adding to their expert team to be able to deliver the project including Project Officers and contract Home Energy Advisers and potential applicants are encouraged to see more details.