1st Wetheral Brownies The Girlguiding and Scouts movements help prepare children and young people with skills for life, nurturing confidence and a sense of belonging. There are a number of groups operating in and around Carlisle and they welcome anyone from the age of four to 18 and beyond. Groups are based on age, and Brownies is for girls aged seven to10. One group, the 1st Wetheral Brownies, were challenged by their leader, Tawny Owl Janice Brown, to fundraise for charity. Janice said: Their chosen charity was Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Fund which uses donations to help pay fuel bills for older people in Cumbria who may otherwise have to make the stark choice between heating and eating. Over almost a decade, the Brownies have raised a grand total of £7,500 through their sponsored winter sleep outs. They’ve slept in the towers of spooky castles, in countryside barns, and in tents by a very soggy Windermere, as well as near Hadrian’s Wall after doing a sponsored march by moonlight dressed as Roman Soldiers! Janice said: CASE STUDY We gave the Brownies the chance to nominate the charity that they wanted to raise money for. Their overwhelming conclusion was that they would want any money they raised to go to local people. They like the idea of being able to help an older person in Penrith or Whitehaven or Carlisle – places they have heard of and places where they are horrified that folks might be dying of the cold. It all goes to show what little people can do! EMPLOYMENT, ECONOMY AND SKILLS This chapter presents information and views about the economy, employment, pay, unemployment and skills in Carlisle. These are important because they help paint a picture of the opportunities that are available for businesses and investors, and they highlight the difficulties faced by local people who want to access jobs and education. The chapter also highlights the growing numbers of people who are unable to work due to health issues, disabilities, or the rural locations in which they live. For these people, finding and taking part in work, training or education can be difficult, and can have negative consequences for their personal financial security and wellbeing. • Good connectivity: Carlisle has good infrastructure and connectivity, including the nearby M6 motorway; access to the West Coast mainline, Cumbrian Coast Line and the Carlisle to Newcastle line; and reliable broadband. • Major regeneration initiatives: There are strong examples of the public, private and education sector coming together on major regeneration projects including Borderlands, St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, Kingmoor Park Enterprise Zone, the Carlisle Citadels project, Carlisle Station Gateway redevelopment and Carlisle city centre refurbishment1, all of which underpin and boost the local economy. • Valuable apprenticeship schemes: Many employers offer good apprenticeship schemes that flex to meet the ambitions of young people, encouraging them to build a career and stay in Carlisle. • Growing Higher and Further Education provision: The University of Cumbria is developing a new campus in the heart of the city and has worked with Imperial College London to create The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine which will start accepting post-graduate students in 2025. Carlisle College offers more than 100 courses, works with more than 350 employee partners, and has recently opened a new Construction Academy. OPPORTUNITIES 1st Wetheral Brownies at their sleepout at Naworth Castle in February 2025, in aid of the Winter Warmth Fund 21 20 Carlisle: Opportunities & Challenges 2025
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