Business

Carlisle was one of the locations to be visited by Small Business Saturday’s national roadshow this week, as part of plans to celebrate the nation’s favourite small businesses.

A new programme that aims to reach 3,000 people across Cumbria with employment support has passed another important milestone. The Cumbria Connect to Work programme has confirmed the appointment of a Service Co-ordinator for a contract worth nearly £10m for up to five years starting in early 2026.

Organisations are being invited to bid to support a new Cumbria-wide scheme that will help people with complex needs get into employment. Connect to Work is a new government-funded programme to break down barriers to employment.

The benefits of investing in Cumbria will be showcased at a three-day business conference (Tuesday 20 - Thursday 22 May) which is set to attract 16,000 delegates and more than 1,750 potential investors.

The Connecting Cumbria team are encouraging businesses to check what broadband and mobile connectivity is available in their area, as access to faster, more reliable services continues to expand.

The opportunity to apply for grants totalling more than £900,000 is now available for Cumberland based community schemes.

The Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council Joint Executive Committee have today agreed to invest £2m of Connecting Cumbria gainshare funds for the further development of advanced wireless technology across Cumbria.

Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council are thrilled to announce the launch of Enterprising Cumbria, in a further step to transfer functions from Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) to the two unitary councils in Cumbria. This is a milestone in the journey to providing a strong, pan-Cumbrian voice for businesses across the region.

Spot the robotic dog is taking centre stage at Cumberland Council’s UKREiiF stand from today (Tuesday, 21 May).

On the build up to the next bank holiday on Monday 27 May, Cumberland Council is reminding residents how to access its services.