Families and local partners gathered today at Family Hub on the Harbour, Whitehaven, for a fun-filled event to celebrate the launch of Hub2U – Cumberland’s new innovative mobile family and young person’s support service.
The colourful, specially designed bus, made possible through a strong partnership of local businesses and organisations, will travel across the Cumberland area to bring essential family support services closer to those who need them.
The launch event was a family-friendly celebration, with guests exploring the bus, finding out more about the services on offer, and meeting the team behind the project. There were activities on offer, such as inflatable football penalty shootout, festival facepainting, plus information and advice stalls from a range of local services. The fire service brought a fire engine for children to explore and the police got children involved with colourful, fun finger printing.
Hub2U is the latest expansion of Cumberland’s Family Hub network, designed to make services more accessible and flexible. Hub2U will provide:
- Support for families of all ages – from early years guidance to resources for teenagers and young adults.
- Themed sessions and targeted programmes – in schools and community locations, covering topics such as emotional well-being, healthy relationships, and staying safe.
- A partnership approach – bringing together multiple local agencies to provide holistic support for families.
Cllr Emma Williamson, Executive Member for Children’s and Family Wellbeing and Housing at Cumberland Council, said:
“Supporting Cumberland’s families and improving the lives of children and young people is at the heart of everything we do. Whitehaven’s Family Hub on the Harbour was just the beginning, and today marks another major milestone as we launch Hub2U.
"It’s incredibly exciting to see the bus unveiled and ready to hit the road. By bringing services directly into communities, we’re making it easier than ever for families to access the right support, exactly when and where they need it."
Jane Wheeler, Assistant Director for Family Help and Youth Justice said:
“It’s been fantastic to welcome families to the Hub2U launch event today, and share the bus unveiling with them. Our Family Hubs are set to grow across the Cumberland area this year, and the Hub2U bus has an integral role to play in reaching even more children, young people and families.
“Hub2U is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through partnership working, and what can be achieved when we have a shared commitment to supporting children, young people and families. We are incredibly grateful to our funding partners, who share our commitment to strengthening communities.
“We can’t wait to get out on the road and start making a difference."
The innovative mobile service has been made possible thanks to the generosity of local partners, including Stagecoach, who donated the bus and carried out a full refit to transform it into a fully functional Family Hub on wheels. Additional funding and design support have been provided by Sellafield’s Social Impact Programme, organisations within the Decommissioning Delivery Partnership (DDP), and Copeland Community Fund—all of whom share a commitment to strengthening families and communities across the region.
Barry Pilkington, Framework Manager in DDP, said:
"The DDP partnership is committed to making a positive impact in our local community. We have worked proactively with the Council and other partners to invest in, develop and launch this project and through further volunteering, we look forward to supporting the rollout of the programme across the Cumberland area."
Tracey West, Senior Social Impact Manager at Sellafield Ltd, added:
"Working with the Council to contribute both significant funding and resource has been key to the successful delivery of this project. This has ensured, through our social impact programme, that our supply chain is aligned to local priorities, enabling them to focus on an impactful project that is based on local need."
Emma Moynihan, Fund Manager for Copeland Community Fund, said:
“Copeland Community Fund aims to invest in local people, economy, and places to create more opportunities and better lives. We are therefore delighted to be a funding partner in the new Hub2U mobile provision. It is great to see this project become a reality, taking a new approach to delivering much needed support services in local communities, to improve the lives of children, young people and their families, a key priority for the Fund.”
Hub2U will now begin its journey, visiting schools, community spaces, events and rural areas, ensuring that children, young people, and families can access the support they need – right where they are. Families who couldn’t attend the launch will have other opportunities to see Hub2U in action as it visits communities throughout the year.
For updates on Hub2U’s schedule and locations, visit https://cumberlandfamilyhubs.org.uk/hub2u or follow us on social media - Facebook and Instagram: @CumberlandFamilyHubs