Sustainable Communities and Zero Carbon

Relevant Resources

Guidance Sheets

• Community Needs Assessment

  Find out what your community needs

• Community Led Planning and Your Sustainable Community
• Community Transport: Reducing Carbon and Cost

  Options to reduce carbon and costs associated with community transport and travel.

• Community Transport

  How can communities organise their own transport solutions and where to go for support.

Research & Other Publications

• Household Emergency Planning leaflet (view on screen) 2020
• Household Emergency Planning leaflet (to print A4) 2020
• Lake District Communities and World Heritage Site Designation Report 2019

  Summary of research , events and questionnaire of residents views about the WHS status

• Supporting Change in the Development of Community Resilience in Cumbria 2012-2017
• The State of Rural Cumbria - Fuel Poverty update 2014
• The State of Rural Cumbria 2013

  Summary of challenges and opportunities from research using the Parish profiles post the 2011 Census.

• The Rural Share of Deprivation in Cumbria - Executive Summary 2010
• The Rural Challenge in Cumbria 2010

  A report on rural deprivation across Cumbria

• Tebay & Orton Local Distinctiveness Project 2013

  The Project summary and then suite of resources produced as Part of the Tebay and Orton Project

• Tebay walking leaflet 2013
• Tebay cycling leaflet 2013
• Orton walking leaflet 2013
• Orton cycling leaflet 2013
• Community Climate Change Adaptation 2013

  Executive Summary followed by a suite of resources

• Community Climate Change Adaptation 2013

  Responding to the 2009 Floods, a model and exploration of potential actions for a community

• Adapting to climate change in Ullswater (Web) 2013
• Adapting to climate change in Ullswater (Print) 2013
• Adapating to climate change in Ullswater 2013
• Planning for your Community's Future in Cumbria 2013

  A joint guide with CALC and the LDNPP on Neighbourhood Planning

• Big Society Vanguard Final Report. 2011
• You can only be ill on Wednesday - NHS Project Report 2010
• Migrant Workers Research Quality of Life 2007

  Working with AWAZ to explore the challenges and opportunities for migrant workers in Cumbria

• Migrant Workers Research Mapping 2007
• Migrant Workers Research Calls to Action 2008
• A Loss For Everyone 2007

  Exploring the loss of services in Cumbria's rural communities and actions to redress this at local and strategic level

Toolkits & Workbooks

• Guide To Funders 2025-2026

  Funders guide for village halls and other community groups. Lists many funders supporting community projects in Cumbria.

• Toolkit for Community Action on Water Quality (Please use link in text below!)

  This web-based Toolkit brings together information, signposting and suggestions, building on grassroots work to improve water quality in Windermere. Much of it has wider application, but it is focused on the Windermere and Leven Catchment area. It's for you if you are interested in taking local action to improve water quality, from getting involved in taking water samples for testing, to setting up a local volunteer monitoring group, to letter writing and campaigning, on your own or with others. The Toolkit has been funded in part by the Environment Agency, who wanted to share resources from the Rethinking Water Citizens Panel, and partly by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, who support activities that strengthen community voice.

• ACT Community Exchanges Toolkit

  Community Exchanges are regular community-led events that bring people together, provide services and information and reduce social isolation. This toolkit brings together a series of guidance sheets and video interviews from Crosthwaite Exchange, 'The Vic' Community Cafe in Culgaith, and Bolton Exchange, to support other communities looking to start their own Exchange or Community Cafe.

• Questionnaire Design Guide

  Being able to put together a survey which is easy to understand, and will give you the information you need, is a useful skill for any community group, particularly those doing Community Led Plans. This guide provides an introduction to writing questionnaires, the types of questions to avoid, how to ensure your survey is accessible to all, and how to analyse the results.

• Sustainable Communities Workbook

  A discussion tool to help assess your community's sustainability and plan for the future.

• Community Oil Buying Groups Toolkit

  Many communities in Cumbria are dependent on oil to heat their homes and by setting up a community oil buying group residents can save money on their bills. This toolkit explains what a community oil buying group is, how to set one up and what you need to consider as well as tips and ideas on how to run and manage your group when it is established.

Case Studies

• St Anne's Church, Ings

  Successful Air Source Heat Pump retrofit.

• Greening Staveley

  Taking action on climate change one parish at a time.

• Lamplugh Village Hall – Innovative approaches to raising funds for renovation work

  Improvements and income earning ideas to help fund the refurbishment of the Village Hall.

• Culterham Village Hall – Celebration to thank Funders

  Special thank you event for the funders of our village renovation project.

• Kirkandrews Community Fibre partnership

  Parish Council led Community Fibre Partnership to build a customised fibre solution, bringing broadband to homes and businesses.

• Sockbridge and Tirril Community Led Plan

  Process of a Plan developed by community members.

• Skelwith and Langdale Community Land Trust

  Community run partnership project building new housing for locals.

• Endmoor + District First Responders

  Volunteers who live and work in the local community - trained and activated by North West Ambulance Service to attend emergency calls.

• Ambleside Fareshare Lunches

  Reuse of waste food to offer free lunches to people in need.

• Kirkby Stephen Good Neighbours Scheme

  Supporting people in Kirkby Stephen and the surrounding area.

• Dent Bad Weather Friends

  Volunteer residents’ scheme for checking on vulnerable neighbours in their locality in extreme weather.

• Fellrunner Village Bus Service

  Community bus service to meet the needs of communities isolated by lack of transport.

• Coniston Carers

  Not for profit social care organisation for people in Coniston and the surrounding area.

• Lamplugh Village Hall Installing Wireless Broadband

  Installing a line, to create a wireless broadband link (Wi-Fi) in the Hall.

• Seaton Village Hall Healthy Activities in the Hall

  Fit 4 Life weekly Healthy Living Courses.

• Northern Fells Group Lend-a-Hand Scheme

  Handyman Scheme offering gardening, domestic and personal help.

• Walton Village Hall Banking & Postal Services

  Provision of banking and post office services and a hub for local residents.

• Keswick Community Housing Trust

  Affordable housing scheme of Eleven three-bedroom properties.

• Bootle Community Energy

  Creation of a Community Interest Company.

• Brough Multi Use Games Area (MUGA)

  Working with young peoples to meet needs through recreation and sports facilities.

• Western Dales Bus Community run bus service

  Volunteer established Western Dales Bus (WDB) service.

• Nicholforest Exchange

  Community Exchange that runs every month at the Nicholforest Village Hall.

• Northern Fells Group Energy Switch Support

  Information and Services Days, organised to including switching energy suppliers and energy efficiency.

• Tebay & Orton Community Heritage Project

  Drop-in events to shape the Tebay & Orton Distinctiveness Project.

• Tebay & Orton Tourism Group

  Production of information they could use to provide a focus for visitors and to encourage new visitors to the area.

• Bolton Memorial Hall Energy Generation

  Installation of solar PV (Photo Voltaic) panels to generate electricity.

• Revitalising Retail Programme in Eden

  Programme to support retailers in rural Eden.

• Garrigill Village Hall Camping Barn

  Refurbishment and upgrading of Garrigill Village Hall.

• Northern Fells Oil Buying Syndicates

  Set-up of a local oil buying syndicates scheme.

• Lakes Parish Council Managing Public Toilets

  Parish Council run public toilets Ambleside and Chapel Stile.

• Lamplugh Village Hall VAT on 'Green' Alterations

  Lamplugh Village Hall improvements.

• Gamblesby Village Hall Renewable Energy Project

  Renewable Energy Village Hall Project involving a ground source heat pump, a wind turbine, and exceptional levels of insulation.

• Holmrook Reading Room Biodiversity Project

  Biodiversity Project involving the creation of a diverse selection of habitats.

• Wetheral Village Halls

  Parish council appointed part-time Village Hall Development Officer to work with all seven village halls.

• Community Broadband

  Community Led Plan for the parish groupings in Upper Eden, Heart of Eden and Lyvennet Valley focusing on rural broadband.

• Community Renewable Energy

  Community Led Plan for the parish groupings in Upper Eden, Heart of Eden and Lyvennet Valley focusing on renewable energy.

Videos