Dear Members

Those of you who have been following all the national and local conversations around the NHS 10 Year Plan will be starting to get familiar with some of the new language that is being used. We are starting to hear lots about 3 key themes:

• Analogue to digital
• Sickness to prevention
• Hospital to community – the Neighbourhood Health Service designed around you

As time has passed the ideas about these themes are being fleshed out nationally and locally and we are starting to see some action.

The theme Hospital to Community has been the first one off the blocks. Over the Summer, Place-based areas (locally North Cumbria and South Cumbria areas) were asked to submit applications to be part of a NEW Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme.  Applications were submitted by Morecambe Bay NHS area (including South Cumbria) and by North Cumbria NHS area. Both applications were built around existing Integrated Care Communities (ICCs).

Morecambe Bay NHS area has been successful. The Programme will be led by Vicky Ellarby (whom many of you working in the South will know) and there will be third sector representation right at the heart of planning right from the start. We will bring you news of how things progress and who your representative will be. The group are likely to start work once they have attended a National Workshop 22.10.2025.

North Cumbria NHS area wasn’t successful but has made a decision to get started on the programme of work described in their application to join the Implementation Programme. Clare Edwards Cumbria CVS Health Partnerships Manager will attend the first meeting 02.10.2025 and report back on plans and the future integration of our sector in this work.

It is likely that the core areas of work for Neighbourhood Health Implementation will cover:

• Population health management
• Standardising community health
• Modern general practice
• Neighbourhood multi-disciplinary teams
• Integrated care with a ‘Home First’ approach
• Urgent neighbourhood services

Like you all I am not entirely sure what all of these mean but will do my best to find out and spread the word.

It’s all change just now. Things are moving fast. All of us are struggling to keep up with the pace so shout out if you need to know more.

If you want to know more, please do contact the Health Partnerships Team here at Cumbria CVS:

To contact the Health Partnership Team just email below:

Clare Edwards Health Partnerships Manager
claree@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Holly Ferguson Health Partnerships Administration Officer
hollyf@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Sarah Penn Health Partnerships Support Officer
sarah.penn@cumbriacvs.org.uk

Come and join us to find out more about how to support people through the winter months in North Cumbria.

The event is aimed at link workers from across the system - based in GPs, local authorities and VCSE organisations, and any organisations that support winter wellbeing.

Presentations will include navigating the health system, finding the most appropriate place for support, vaccination programmes, community pharmacy, warm hubs and more.

There will also be an opportunity to network with colleagues and get valuable information about VCFSE support, and a free buffet lunch.

13th, October 2025 from 09:30 to 13:00

Wigton Market Hall

Do you struggle to find good, reliable data about the people you work with and where they live?
Could you do with good, reliable data to support project development or funding applications?
Are you interested in learning more about specific issues like housing, employment, crime etc?

Why not join us at this session?

17th November 2025 from 14:00 to 15:00 - Online via MS Teams

The Beginners Guide to the Cumbria Observatory will provide a brief introduction to the Cumbria Observatory and talk you through how to find the data and information most useful to you, your organisation and the people you work with.

What is the Cumbria Intelligence Observatory?
The Observatory is a fantastic local website that brings together existing research and analysis resources throughout Cumbria. The site works jointly with partners, to provide information and intelligence. It’s all arrange in easy to locate sections that include:
• Ward profiles
• Population
• Children & Young people
• Housing
• Health & social care
• Crime & community safety
• Deprivation
• Economy & employment
• Environment
• HDRC

You can identify and source detailed profiles of geographic areas including Cumbria as a whole, the unitary council areas of Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness, former districts, wards, LSOAs and a number of other geographies within Cumbria.

If you can’t make the session and/or want to do a bit of research before why not head to the website

https://www.cumbriaobservatory.org.uk/

Do you work with clients who struggle with persistent pain?

Join us for a free 3-hour training session with Flippin’ Pain, a national campaign changing the way we think about and treat pain.

You’ll learn the latest understanding of how pain works and why mindset, movement and community support all matter.

We’ll also introduce Pain Cafés: local peer groups offering practical support for people living with ongoing pain.

Event details

When: Wednesday 8th of October 10:00-13:30

Where: Brampton Community Centre, Union Lane, Brampton, CA8 1BX

Who: For GPs, physiotherapists, fitness/wellbeing coaches, therapists, and anyone in health or wellness.

Cost: Free to attend

To book, just reply to Sam Duckett samd@cadas.co.uk with your:

• Name
• Email
• Organisation
• Job title
• Postcode
• How many people will be attending

We would ask you to please forward this invitation to your network – colleagues, peers, or groups you are part of. The more professionals who understand persistent pain differently, the more people we can help.

Places are limited – please book soon. We hope to see you there!

Please see below the new dates when we will be taking HARRI back out during October.

Please follow the link if you want if you would like to visit HARRI

https://www.communityroots.lscft.nhs.uk/whats-on/where-is-harri

Join us for a FREE Halloween themed stroll Wednesday 26^th October

This Halloween week come join us for a free spooky stroll through Carlisle Cemetery at 10.30am on Wednesday 29^th October!

Suitable for all ages and abilities, children need to be accompanied by well-behaved adults and is dog friendly too! Fancy dress is optional but encouraged. There will be a light-hearted ghostly stroll through the graveyard, scarily good scavenger hunt and other mysterious activities after in the Gatehouse Café.

Join us inside Gatehouse Café, Richardson Street at 10.30am and book your free place at FREE Gatehouse Stroll 29th Oct - Halloween Special! Tickets, Wed, Oct 29, 2025 at 10:30 AM | Eventbrite

For more information contact travelactively@cumberland.gov.uk and we look forward to meeting you. Don’t be scared… we don’t bite! We also run a range of other free walks from various locations every two weeks. Follow Travel Actively Carlisle for the Events and how to join in the fun!

There are significant health issues and inequalities in Cumberland and Cumberland Council wants to find ways to improve them, as well as improving health and wellbeing for everyone. Cumberland Health Determinants Research Collaboration is currently gathering evidence on what is already know about this and are asking for any evidence from services on things like financial poverty, housing, employment, mental health, neurodiversity, substance use, obesity, food insecurity, or cared for children.

Not sure if what you have counts as evidence? Reach out to us and we can chat about it! You can find us at hdrc@cumberland.gov.uk or drop us a comment below.

Find out more about the challenges faced by many individuals and families to help provide better health and care support for people to live longer, healthier lives.

Join Children North East in a series of one-hour online free sessions outlining the poverty proof methodology and ethos, informed by the diverse experiences of children, young people and families experiencing poverty. There are a number of sessions taking place, check out Boost learning academy to find out more and book your place.

A NEW Macmillan Cancer Support Pod is now up and running at West Cumberland Hospital.

The pod will offer vital information and emotional support to anyone affected by cancer in the region.

The POD is in the reception area of the hospital’s old main entrance.

The team will be offering drop-in sessions every Thursday from Thursday 18th September from 10am to 1pm.

Bookable one to one appointments are also available upon request Monday to Friday and can be made by emailing cancerinformation@ncic.nhs.uk or calling 01228 814283

The pod will be staffed by a newly recruited team of trained Macmillan Support Volunteers, who bring diverse backgrounds and a shared passion for helping others. These volunteers will be available to offer guidance, lend a listening ear, and signpost visitors to further support services. They will also be supported by Specialist Health Professionals within the service with a clinical background in cancer services.

The Furness For You Partnership has officially launched its online support hub designed to connect people across the Furness area with the help, services and activities they need.

The free website brings together information from a wide range of organisations and builds on the Partnership’s missions to tackle social isolation, promote volunteering, and strengthen community ties.

It is free to use and is regularly updated with details of local services, community groups, events and volunteering opportunities. Whether people are looking for help, want to get involved in activities, or are keen to give back by volunteering, furnessforyou.org.uk aims to make it easy to find and connect with what’s available locally.

If you do nothing else watch David’s interview:

Read the full story and watch video interview with service user David Carradus

We provide a safe space for people to come together and chat. Our volunteers can help you through difficult times. Everyone is welcome to come and go as they please.

The Oval Centre, Salterbeck Drive, Salterbeck, Workington, CA14 5HA

From 2pm - 4pm on the following dates:

Thursday 23rd October 2025

Thursday 20th November 2025

Thursday 18th December 2025

Please click the link below to view the message from David Blacklock, CEO at People First regarding the important transition of the delivery of Cumberland’s Microenterprise Support Service from Community Catalysts to People First.

The link to the new page is Cumberland Carer's Co-operative: Support local community initiatives - People First and further updates will follow in due course.

Please also note - Community Catalysts have removed Cumbria Small Good Stuff Page, , but all the enterprises can still be accessed via the national directory https://www.communitycatalysts.co.uk/smallgoodstuff/

In England it is estimated that 3.8% of the population are classified as gambling at elevated risks.

In the NENC area, it is estimated that 4.9% of the population (aged 16+) are at-risk gamblers, where they experience some level of negative consequences due to gambling.

This is the highest regional estimated prevalence of at-risk gambling in England.

(OHID, 2023)

The NHS Race and Health Observatory has launched the 'Health Action Resource Platform' (HARP), an interactive platform centred on supporting healthcare organisations to tackle inequalities.

A new website has been developed in the North-east and Yorkshire region (but relevant and open to use across the country) region to support adults with a learning disability, and autistic adults, to stay safe online. It has been co-produced by people with lived experience, the police, and other key stakeholders. It covers many areas such as cybercrime, cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, social media, grooming, gangs and many more topics. The aim of the website is to reduce both the number of victims and perpetrators of internet crime.

There are four RNIB Learning Choices courses now available free of charge to anyone who creates a learner account on the NHS Learning Hub.  You do not need to have an NHS email address.

To register for an account or to log in please go to the following link:

https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/rnib

The courses are:

Communication Matters (20 mins)

An introductory course with handy tips for meeting and greeting people with sight loss. This course will help you to explore how and why it is important to communicate effectively, attitudes to sight loss and recognise practical issues around sight loss.

Feelings, Attitudes and Emotions (20 mins)

An introductory course where you will hear from people with sight loss talking about their personal experiences.. Course will explore your attitudes to sight loss and identify the boundaries in offering support.

How to guide people with sight loss (40 mins)

Many people with sight loss may have some useful vision but they might welcome help at times, in an unfamiliar place or at night time for instance. There are no hard and fast rules on how to guide people with sight loss, but the guidelines shown in this course are safe and sensible. This course aims to equip you with the skills to guide people with sight loss safely and confidently.

Eye Anatomy and Eye Health (20 mins)

This course provides an overview of common eye conditions, raises awareness of the importance of eye health and signposts you to support options available.

PLEASE NOTE: The Forum is open to ALL including the third sector.

2nd Practitioners Forum on Monday 13th October 2025 10am - 12 noon.

The theme for the forum will be how to respond to concerns relating to a Person in Position of Trust often referred to as PiPoT.

Through the use of a case study and discussion the forum will explore the responsibilities of providers and agencies working with or caring for adults with care and support needs to respond to allegations or concerns raised about a person, whether an employee, volunteer or student (paid or unpaid) who works with or cares for adults. 

The Forum will consider the circumstances in which a referral should be made in relation to concerns about a person in a position of trust.

There will be a launch of refreshed CSAB PiPoT guidance which contains further advice for employers or volunteer organisations in relation to their responsibilities to assess potential risks posed by a person in a position of trust and if necessary, to take action to prevent abuse or neglect.

To secure your place on this online event please click the link here.

Sports Centre car park, Castle Meadows from 10am to 4pm.

NCIC's Hepatology Team has hired the British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver mobile unit. Find out what preventative measures you can take to keep their liver healthy and take a free liver scan and blood test for viral hepatitis. The team will be there to discuss how to keep your liver healthy and will be on hand to provide advice on diet, exercise and healthy living.

The latest Cumbria Advisory Thyroid Service update for Autumn 2025.

Councillors are preparing for final meetings which will decide whether to establish a new Mayor-led authority for Cumbria.

The Government believes the introduction of a mayoral authority for Cumbria would improve people’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing. And, after considering the powers, responsibilities and potential funding that would be available to a new authority, Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland Councils now need to formally decide whether they both want to go ahead.

If they do, a Cumbria Combined Authority would become a legal body early in 2026, with leadership until mayoral elections in May 2027 coming from the two constituent authorities, Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness Councils.

A new authority would have a range of powers, responsibilities and opportunities not available to individual local authorities and be in addition to Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland Councils. This includes access to a multi-million pound,30-year investment fund.

New powers would include strategic, Cumbria-wide responsibilities on:

• transport and local infrastructure
• skills and employment support
• housing and strategic planning
• economic development and regeneration
• environment and climate change
• health, wellbeing and public service reform and public safety

Follow this link for more information

Councillors prepare to make devolution decision | Westmorland and Furness Council

Penrith Library, Penrith CA11 7YA f 2pm to 4pm on the 1^st & 3rd Wednesday each month, starting 1 October 2025.

Westmorland and Furness Council has partnered with SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, to offer confidential drop-in sessions for veterans, serving personnel and their families.

The drop-in events, offering practical, financial and emotional support, will take place at Penrith Library, St Andrews Churchyard, Penrith CA11 7YA, from 2pm to 4pm on the first and third Wednesday of each month, starting 1 October 2025.

More information here:

Council partners with SSAFA to support Armed Forces community | Westmorland and Furness Council

Step Forward into Volunteering and Employment has supported lots of wonderfully inspiring individuals to find volunteering or Employment opportunities. We have also supported employment retention, returning to education and gaining new qualifications through various training courses. We welcome both self-referrals and third-party referrals for anyone aged 18+ in North Cumbria. We offer support to those who find their mental health experiences negatively impact exploring and gaining voluntary or employment opportunities. Please visit our website to find out more about the person-centred, strengths-based, holistic support we offer, and you will also find our online referral form here too https://cumbriacvs.org.uk/about-us/step-forward/

Over the past 3 years, we have also delivered many additional services to both individuals and organisations. We created our Better Mental Health Toolkit and continue to update this every few months with useful resources to support workplace wellbeing. We can offer various training and awareness sessions, as well as deliver the Library of Lived Experience. We host a Holistic Employment Meeting (The H.E.M.) to bring together organisations in Cumbria who are providing supported employment services. We also share opportunities, resources and updates on our Facebook page and deliver our Quarterly Newsletter. 

As we move into Year 4, if you, or someone you know, would benefit from our support, we would love to hear from you. You can find links to various areas of our work here https://cumbriacvs.my.canva.site/step-forward-links If you would like to get in touch, please email us at stepforward@cumbriacvs.org.uk

Annual Silent Footprints Memory Walk for 2025

15th October 2025 at 7pm, around Whitehaven Harbour. Meeting at the Harbour Hub.

For more information on upcoming events, please click here to visit the Silent Footprints What on page.

Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is holding Women’s Health Workshops, bringing together key stakeholders to co-produce the emerging Lancashire and South Cumbria Women’s Health Strategy. Voices and expertise of those working across health, community, and voluntary sector organisations are sought to reflect the needs of girls and women in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

You are welcome to join as many sessions as you want. Prior to the workshop the team will share questions for consideration. This will help focus on individual key priorities, local need, and alignment with national priorities, population health data and regional ambition.

All dates and topics are listed below:

To book a place, please email lscicb.womenshealth@nhs.net

Join us for World Mental Health Day on Friday 10th October, 10:30am-12:30pm at the People First Conference Centre, Milbourne Street, Carlisle.

This World Mental Health Day, Healthwatch Cumberland invites you to discover the work we have been doing to support and improve mental health in our communities.

We wanted to take this opportunity to share the experiences and findings of our recent projects, with a focus on their impact on mental health. We have been involved in a range of projects and events, from Mental Health in Menopause, to the recent Baton of Hope event. We will be showcasing a range of projects, focused on listening to local voices, raising awareness, reducing stigma and influencing positive change in health and social care services.

Come along and find out what is being done in our local community to try and support people’s mental health, and what projects we’ve got coming up.

(Guest speakers to be confirmed.)

Refreshments will be provided!

The latest Cumberland Council Social Prescribing Newsletter for October 2025.

Climate change anxiety, changing or absent farming schemes, a lack of affordable housing, and unreliable transport leading to isolation are just some of the issues affecting young people in Cumbria. In many cases, these challenges are pushing young people out of the county to live elsewhere. Friends of the Lake District believes it is essential to enable young people to build their connection with the Cumbrian landscape, have their voices heard on the issues that matter to them, and access opportunities for future employment.

A recent report by Campaign for National Parks highlights that there are currently no consistent ways for young people to have their say on issues impacting them within national parks. At the same time, the Young Trustees Movement reports that fewer than 3% of charity trustees in the UK are under the age of 30. Friends of the Lake District aims to help bridge this gap through its Youth Voice initiative.

The organisation is seeking 10–15 young people aged 18–25 from Cumbria or nearby counties who are passionate about the Cumbrian landscape. Participants will work alongside like-minded individuals to share concerns and innovative solutions, develop campaigns on issues they care about, learn about the role of a trustee, shadow board meetings, and gain skills in leadership, development, and practical conservation. Through Youth Voice, young people will have a direct influence on the future work Friends of the Lake District undertakes to protect and enhance the Cumbrian landscape for generations to come.

Westmorland and Furness Council is now at the stage of engaging families, children, and young people to gather their input and work alongside them to shape the Family Hub service in their local area. The council is asking for support in reaching as many families as possible to ensure that all groups are represented.

Two online surveys have been created, one designed for parents and carers and another tailored for young people. Although these are online surveys, the links can also be used by practitioners, colleagues, partners, and anyone working directly with families and young people to engage face to face and gather input.

This month we've got a round up of what's happening over here at Cumberland HDRC, including updates on our research plan, some highlights from the Art of Wellbeing and our upcoming training dates. 

We've also had a fantastic response to our recent adverts for our community co-researcher and support officer roles, thank you to everyone who applied or shared! We're now in the middle of chatting to our applicants and are looking forward to expanding our team and working together to connect, learn and grow

Our latest post has key updates, including funding and project opportunities, representative roles and working groups you might want to get involved in and much more.

The latest vacancies in Cumbria, from across the sector. You'll also find vacancies with Cumbria CVS here too.

Cumbria CVS offers a free membership service for Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations throughout Cumbria. This membership gives you access to our free services, including:

Newsletters (get our monthly e-bulletin first)
Focus on Funding online - the latest funding opportunities
Governance Support
Add your organisation to our member's directory and searchable map
Advice
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If you want to receive the latest news, events and updates on:

General sector info for your area
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Trustee network
+ more

You can sign up for individual newsletters and manage your subscriptions to our mailings, all in one place!