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Carlisle Newsletter, CA3 8TT, Carlisle (2026)

11/01/2026

A powerful exhibition at Tullie Museum and Art Gallery gives care-experienced young people a platform to share their stories through creativity 🎨

'Re-write the Narrative', running until Sunday 25th January in the Community Gallery, features oil paintings, collages, display boxes, poetry and photography created by young people who have been in care.

What began as a photography project evolved into a vibrant multi-form exhibition challenging perceptions and stereotypes surrounding care-experienced individuals.

"It's given me the chance to tell my story," said one young creative. Another added: "There's been a lot of work put in—it would be great for more people to see our pieces and know our stories."

Councillor Emma Williamson called it "a powerful reminder that every young person has a story worth hearing."

Jane Wheeler, Assistant Director for Family Help, described the exhibition as "raw and true," encouraging visitors to "listen and learn."

Tullie's Lindsey Atkinson praised the young people's "creative and thoughtful ideas."

10/01/2026

Carlisle Crematorium has installed a Letters to Heaven post box, offering bereaved families a meaningful way to leave written messages for departed loved ones.

The thoughtful addition was made possible by the McCullock family following the death of Suzanne McCullock's husband, Kevin, in January 2025. After discovering a similar post box at Fitz Park in Keswick, Suzanne found comfort in leaving messages and recognised its value for her children, Maisy and Freddy.

Suzanne's mother, Sue, approached Carlisle Crematorium about creating a dedicated space. The Bereavement Services team embraced the idea, and through community fundraising and family support, the post box is now available for public use.

Councillor Anne Quilter praised the initiative: "It offers people a simple way to leave a message for loved ones during difficult times."

A similar post box was installed at Distington Hall's Chapel of Remembrance last year by the Milton family in memory of Ivy Mae Milton, providing a valued space for reflection and remembrance across Cumberland.

09/01/2026

An absolutely fabulous evening is in store for attendees at a Cumbrian business networking event this month when comedian and actor Helen Lederer joins them as a special guest 🙌

She will be appearing at The Gather’s opening evening of 2026 in Kendal – which will take the form of a book club discussion.

📆 22 January
📍 The Venue, Kendal

Best known for her role as Catriona in Absolutely Fabulous, Helen will be drawing on her acclaimed memoir Not That I’m Bitter to bring a story familiar to anyone who has ever felt underestimated, sidelined or quietly told they were “too much”.

It has won praise from fellow comics including Ben Elton who called it “funny, wise, brilliant and brave – just like its author” while Jo Brand said: “Her progression through the comedy swamp of the Eighties is fascinating, poignant and laugh-out-loud.”

At The Gather – formerly LA23Net – Helen will also speak about the multiple strings to her bow: as a comedian and actress but as a writer, campaigner and founder of the Comedy Women in Print Prize, which has helped dozens of women into publication.

Tickets are available here 👉 https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/101466

23/12/2025

Thank you to everyone who has read and supported Carlisle Newsletter this year ✨

The next newsletter will be on Thursday 8 January.

From all of us at Carlisle Newsletter, we'd like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 🎄

22/12/2025

Cumberland Council has announced revised waste and recycling collection schedules over the festive period ♻️

There will be no collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day. Collections scheduled for Thursday 25 December will take place on Saturday 27 December, while Friday 26 December collections move to Sunday 28 December. Thursday 1 January collections will occur on Friday 2 January, with Friday 2 January collections moving to Saturday 3 January.

Household waste recycling centres remain open throughout the festive season except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, closing at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Recycling bring sites across Cumberland, including supermarket car parks, will also close on the three bank holidays. Residents are urged not to leave items on the ground if bins are full, as this constitutes fly-tipping. Enforcement officers and CCTV are monitoring sites. Normal services resume on Monday 5 January.

21/12/2025

Young people in the Petteril area will now have a direct voice in local decision-making following work by the Cumbria Youth Co-research Collective.

A young person's working group has been established to influence Cumberland Council's Petteril Community Panel, with two co-opted panel member roles created for 14 to 17-year-olds.

Participants aged 14 to 18 worked with the panel to ensure young people's views are included in decisions, presenting their report at a recent meeting.

Councillor Justin McDermott, Executive Member for Public Health and Communities, said: "I made a clear commitment to give young people a voice in our decision-making processes. This is a big step forward in my mission to empower communities."

20/12/2025

Castle Carrock Primary School has won Carlisle MP Julie Minns' Christmas Card Competition for 2025 👏

The MP made a surprise visit to the school to announce the victory and presented pupils with a special Parliamentary Teddy Bear.

The winning design features festive mice enjoying a feast of cheese and biscuits in a moonlit woodland scene, with all KS2 pupils drawing and colouring individual sections and characters.

Ms Minns said: "There were a number of great entries and it was really hard to pick an overall winner. Castle Carrock's entry stood out not only because it reflected the beauty of the school's countryside setting, but because it was a genuine team effort that reflected the children's creativity."

The card will be sent to more than 900 community groups, businesses, charities and individuals locally and across the country.

Headteacher Sarah Lee said: "The children absolutely loved taking part in the competition and were thrilled to find out they'd won. Everyone had a go at creating part of the design."

The competition was sponsored by pladis, owners of Carlisle's Carr's factory, with factory manager Mark Ebdon helping to judge entries.

19/12/2025

Christmas wishes really did come true for the pupils at Kirkbride Primary School when elves arrived from the North Pole, bringing gifts and festive cheer ahead of the Christmas holidays 🎄

The magical morning, supported by Fibrus Broadband, was full of surprises, including a special video message from Santa himself, who praised the children for the kindness shown in their letters 👏

Pupils aged five to seven had each written a letter to Father Christmas, telling him something they had done during the year that made them feel proud. From helping at home to achievements at school, every child had something special to share.

Five-year-old Emily told Santa she had been riding a pony, while six-year-old Carys said she had been “helping mummy with baby Archie”. Connie shared that she had “showed a sheep”, and Freddie proudly wrote about winning a football trophy.

Impressed by the letters, Santa decided the children’s Christmas wishes should come true and dispatched his elves to Kirkbride to deliver the surprises.

A week later, each of the 22 pupils in Years One and Two received a present they had mentioned in their letters 🎁

Read more here 📎 https://cumbria24.com/magic-of-christmas-comes-to-kirkbride/

15/12/2025

School friends reunited thanks to a Stagecoach bus trip after decades apart are now starring in the bus company’s Christmas adverts 🎄

Pensioners Brenda Parry and Barbara Chorley hadn’t seen each other since they were at primary school in Kendal – 68 years ago.

So they were astonished to meet up again when they joined a group on a bus day trip in June and they are now the stars of Stagecoach’s festive campaign.

The chance encounter happened on a Grand Day Out organised by Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire which treated pensioners to an open-top bus trip to Windermere and afternoon tea at the World of Beatrix Potter.

Read more about Brenda and Barbara and watch the video here 👉 https://weareintro.co.uk/2025/12/09/school-pals-reunited-on-stagecoach-trip-are-stars-of-christmas-campaign/

14/12/2025

Star Anise restaurant has officially opened in Devonshire Street this week, bringing its successful Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine from Brampton to the heart of the city 🥘

The new venue features modern décor with warm lighting and a brand-new cocktail bar, offering handcrafted cocktails and mocktails alongside authentic Asian dishes. The menu includes classic Bengali specialties like sylhet chilli chicken, creamy pasanda, and tandoori dishes, plus a Western lunch menu with fresh English options.

Good luck to owners Aida Dainyte and Abul Kalam and manager Kamrul Islam Manna 🙌

Picture courtesy of Love Carlisle.

13/12/2025

Vaseys Carlisle furniture store is to be transformed into a sporting venue following its closure 🙌

Vaseys will reopen in 2026 as a pickleball and padel tennis centre after a team of investors completes the purchase of the building. The revamped facility will include a café alongside courts for the two fastest-growing sports in the UK.

Richard Wise, CEO of Eden Valley Pickleball, said the development will "significantly boost local participation in sport" and provide a flagship venue strengthening community engagement across Carlisle and the wider region.

David Campbell, general manager and head coach, highlighted the rapid expansion of the Cumbria Pickleball coaching programme, demonstrating strong local demand. He said the purpose-built facility will become a central hub for both sports across the county, supporting players of all ages and abilities.

12/12/2025

An exhibition this weekend will showcase new work by local artists exploring nature, landscapes and townscapes 🖼️

📆 Friday to Sunday, 12 to 14 December
📍 Intro’s office on Paternoster Row, Carlisle
🕣 10am to 6pm

A Fragile Thing features paintings by acclaimed artists Martin Evans, Malcolm Wilson, and David Hollins, capturing the ever-changing beauty of the natural world, the Cumbrian landscape, and the urban environment.

It invites reflection on how light, time, and human influence shape the places we inhabit. Each artist brings a distinctive approach: from the rugged beauty of Cumbria’s hills and coastlines to the quiet poetry of urban streets and skylines.

Adding further depth and diversity, the exhibition will also feature guest artists presenting a range of 2D and 3D works, complementing the central theme of impermanence and renewal in both natural and built environments.

David said: “A Fragile Thing reflects the beauty and vulnerability that surround us — whether in a moment of light on the fells or the shifting life of a town street. We’re delighted to bring together such a rich mix of new, unseen work by artists rooted in Cumbria and inspired by its landscapes.”

Entry is free, and all artworks will be available for sale.

Carlisle Newsletter

11/01/2026

10/01/2026

09/01/2026

23/12/2025

22/12/2025

21/12/2025

20/12/2025

19/12/2025

15/12/2025

14/12/2025

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