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The Hackney & Leigh team celebrating their Award

Local Estate Agent, Hackney & Leigh, does the National Treble!

Local estate agent, Hackney & Leigh, has won three national awards at the prestigious EA Masters Best Estate Agent Guide Awards in London, underscoring the agency’s market-leading performance across sales and lettings.

• Best Sales and Lettings Estate Agency in the UK (6–20 branches)

• Best Lettings Manager in the UK – Jo Thompson, Head of Lettings

• Best Sales Manager in the UK – Keira Evans, Kendal Branch Manager

“We can’t believe it – we’ve done the treble!” said Simon Leigh, Director of Hackney & Leigh, the independent ,family-run Sales and Lettings agency with branches in Ambleside, Arnside, Carnforth, Grange-over-Sands, Kendal, Keswick, Kirkby Lonsdale, Penrith, Ulverston and Windermere.

“This is a truly momentous achievement. I am incredibly proud of our fantastic team and I am delighted for Jo and Keira in particular. These awards recognise the hard work, passion and commitment they devote to delivering outstanding results for our clients.”

The awards were presented at a glittering ceremony at Evolution London in Battersea Park, attended by more than 1,000 estate agents and industry partners.

Each year, the team behind the Best Estate Agent Guide carries out an independent performance assessment of the entire estate agency industry to identify the best agencies in the country, based on marketing, service and results. The top performers are then mystery-shopped to ensure exceptional service levels are achieved and that all the latest marketing techniques are being employed to create the perfect first impression of their clients’ properties.

The process for individual awards included Jo and Keira having in-depth interviews with industry leaders to understand more about them, their values and how they go about achieving the results for their clients. On winning the Best Lettings Manager in the UK, Jo Thompson, who lives near Kendal, said: “I am honoured and elated to have won the award. It is not only a great result for me, but it recognises what a fantastic team I have that supports me.”

The judges said her in-depth industry knowledge was a key factor in their decision. Jo has been in the industry for over a decade, having previously been a manager in the hospitality world. She joined Hackney & Leigh in 2017 and has helped shape and grow the business into what it is today.

Following the presentation for Best Sales Manager in the UK, Keira Evans said: “I am delighted to have won the award, not just for myself, but for my team. Just to be nominated was incredible, but to win was a total privilege. I’m utterly flattered to be recognised for my work in a profession I’m so passionate about, especially given the quality of the competition.”

Commenting on Keira’s win, the judges said she had shown fantastic knowledge of her market, alongside a wonderful empathy for her clients. Keira has worked as an estate agent for ten years, following a successful career as a Sales Manager in the equine industry. She joined Hackney & Leigh at the start of 2022 and has taken the Kendal office from strength to strength.

Peter Knight, founder of the Best Estate Agent Guide and EA Masters, said: “We are delighted to recognise and help celebrate the outstanding achievements of everyone who took home an award at this year’s EA Masters. “They represent the top-performing agents in the UK, setting the benchmark for excellence in customer service, expertise and results. “We congratulate this year’s winners, who continue to raise standards in the industry and truly exemplify what it means to be the very best.”

Keira Evans (left) and Jo Thompson with their awards at the ceremony

Westmorland and Furness Council Logo

Westmorland & Furness Council – ‘One Tree Per Resident Project’

In response to the climate and biodiversity crises, Westmorland and Furness Council want to help our communities to plant one tree, or one metre of hedgerow equivalent, for every resident. This means planting a quarter of a million trees over a five-year period.

Trees have various benefits for climate, biodiversity and communities, such as:

  • absorbing and storing carbon
  • providing shade and shelter
  • increasing biodiversity and enhancing landscapes
  • capturing air pollution and improving air quality
  • improving water quality
  • reducing soil erosion
  • reducing flooding risk

How to get involved

There are many different ways in which you can help reach our aim of planting 250,000 trees. If would like more details or want to tell us how many trees or hedgerows you have planted so we can count them, please contact us.

Free Trees for Residents: We are giving away free tree saplings as part of the ‘One Tree Per Resident Project’.

Who Can Apply: You can apply on behalf of:

  • you – as a resident
  • schools
  • town and parish councils
  • landowners
  • community groups

Trees and Hedge Packs: You can apply for multiple saplings. Larger planting schemes will be assessed for feasibility. Tree species and numbers are subject to availability.

Tree species: There are 10 species of tree in the scheme.

  • Crab Apple – Small gardens, pot-friendly, moist, heavier soil, pollinators and birds.
  • Field Maple – Medium to large gardens, moderately moist, wildlife and autumn colour.
  • Guelder Rose – Small gardens, pot friendly, moist, fertile soil, berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
  • Hawthorn – Small to large gardens, moist to dry soil, wildlife.
  • Hazel – Small gardens, pot-friendly, moist soil, not waterlogged, wildlife and nuts.
  • Juniper – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Dry, well-drained soil. Wildlife, berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
  • Rowan – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Light, moist soil. Berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
  • Silver Birch – Medium to large gardens. Moist, well-drained soil. Wildlife, light canopy.
  • Whitebeam – Medium to large gardens. Dry to moist soil. Birds.
  • Yew – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Dry to moist soil. Evergreen, berries (all parts of the tree are toxic)

Pick the trees suitable for your planting area. Some are suitable for pots if managed. Read advice on how to pick the right trees to plant, and how to plant them on the Woodland Trust website

How to Apply: Before you apply, you’ll need to know: Your chosen tree species and the What3Words location of your planting site.

Applications will be open until 30 November 2025, but may clsoe early subject to demand. Please note hedge packs are not currently available due to high demand.

Apply online by clicking here.

If you need an accessible version, please contact us by email, or visit one of our offices or libraries.

Contact us: We’re keen to hear from you if you:

  • are interested in linking as a partner
  • would like to get involved, or have any suggestions about how to get involved
  • want to record your tree planting under the ‘One Tree per Resident Project’.
  • have any questions about the scheme

Please get in touch by email: futuretrees@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

Partners: Our current partners include:

  • Forestry Commission
  • Lake District National Park
  • RAISE Community Forest
  • Ullswater Catchment Management CIC
  • Woodland Trust
  • Yorkshire Dales National Park

Progress: To date, we have planted 41,544 trees which is 17% of the total needed to achieve the goal of ‘One Tree per Resident’. This planting has been delivered by council teams, supported by the Community Orchard and Micro Woodland initiatives funded through the Coronation Living Heritage Fund.

Our key partner, Raise: Cumbria Community Forest, has also played a vital role in delivering additional planting schemes..

Hollybank Care Home '12 Days of Christmas Raffle'

Hollybank Care Home ’12 Days of Christmas Raffle’

Hollybank Care Home is running their ’12 Days of Christmas Raffle’ again this year.

The prizes are: hampers, gift boxes, bottles galore and even a distillery tour and tasting voucher.

An opportunity to win Christmas tipples and chocolate goodies in time for the festive season and help raise additional funds to give our lovely residents an extra special Christmas.

Tickets are £1 each or £5 a strip.

Thermal Imaging 2025-2026

Free Thermal Imaging For Arnside Residents

Sustainable Arnside is once again offering this FREE service to people interested in understanding the areas of their home that could potentially be insulated better and, in the long run, save money – which is most likely, all of us!

Thermal imaging can identify cold spots in your home, such as draughts around windows and doors, missing and defective insulation, water ingress, damp, and cold bridges. It can indicate both quick fixes as well as areas that require professional advice, giving the opportunity to make your home warmer, healthier, cheaper to heat and lower your home’s carbon footprint.

The thermal imaging camera detects the heat emitted by objects and shows it in a colour-coded way – the colder areas are shown in blue and the warmer ones in red.

Anyone is eligible for the home survey. All surveys are carried out by local volunteers in collaboration with Futureproof Cumbria.

The window for conducting thermal imaging is November – as the weather turns colder, through to the end of March – before the weather warms up.

To register your interest or for further information, contact: thermalarnside@gmail.com

To visit the Futureproof Cumbria website, click here.

Temporary Road Closure - Church Hill

Temporary Road Closure: Church Hill, Arnside – 15/11/25

A temporary road closure has been put in place to allow Fibrus to carry out utility works which are expected to commence 15th November 2025 and anticipated to take 2 days to complete.

Please see below details of the extents of the restriction(s) and any alternative route(s) which may be in place, the relevant legal notice can be viewed here and a location plan clearly showing these extents can be found here.

Location: Church Hill, from its junction with Silverdale Road, extending in a north easterly direction for approx.105 metres.

Alternative Route: There is no suitable alternative route available for vehicles.  A way for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will be maintained at all times.

N.B Passage for Emergency Vehicles will be maintained where required for the duration of this restriction.

Should you have any queries in relation to this temporary Order please contact the Highways Hotline by calling 0300 373 3306 or via the Westmorland & Furness Council website, quoting the reference TTROW/16845

Bittern Sustainability Conference 2025 – Book now!

Arnside & Silverdale National Landscape and the Bittern Countryside CIC have joined together to host a Sustainability Conference for the National Landscape on the 15th November 2025

The conference will be held at Arnside Educational Institute and will run from 9.30am – 5pm

There will be a morning session with short talks, hearing about what some of the fabulous groups in the National Landscape are doing to fight climate change and help biodiversity.

We’re planning a ‘Power Hour’ where groups are invited to introduce themselves and/or any particular sustainability projects they are involved in.

After lunch, we’ll be having workshop sessions to get us moving and thinking about future plans.

This event is free and open to anyone who is already involved in local climate, sustainability or biodiversity action – or who would like to get more involved.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Places must be pre-booked – please book via the National Landscape’s eventbrite page

Places are limited so please book soon – we will be operating a waiting list so if you’re unable to book, get in touch and we can put you on the list.

If you would like a 5 minute slot in the ‘Power Hour’ to introduce your group, please e-mail Caz Howard at caroline@arnside-silverdale.org.uk or Belinda Barclay at belinda@arnside-silverdale.org.uk directly.

If you would like to deliver a workshop activity please get in touch – we are happy to combine workshop activities, so this could be a very short activity or a longer one!

Hope to see you then!

HealthWatch Public Transport Survey

Help Shape Public Transport in Westmorland and Furness – Public Transport Survey from HealthWatch

Do you face difficulties getting to GP, hospital or other health appointments using public transport? We want to hear from you.

Transport is a recurring issue we hear about at Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness and your experiences could help improve the system for everyone. Wherever the Healthwatch team goes, we hear how difficult it can be to get to medical appointments if you:

  • Don’t own a car
  • Don’t have friends or family available to give you a lift
  • Aren’t eligible for patient transport services

From poor bus connections to high taxi costs, these barriers stop people from accessing the care they need. With Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland Councils developing a new Cumbria-wide mayoral authority – which will have powers over both public transport and health and wellbeing – this project is more important than ever.

What we’re doing

We’re collecting first-hand experiences of travelling to health appointments by public transport (buses, taxis, trains, community transport schemes, plus volunteer car schemes), whether that’s:

  • Primary care (GPs, dentists)
  • Secondary care (hospital)
  • Follow-on care (physiotherapy, rehabilitation programmes, therapy sessions, support groups)

Your appointment doesn’t have to be in Westmorland and Furness as we’re aware many people travel to Carlisle, Lancaster, Whitehaven, Preston, Newcastle and Northumberland for treatment. We’ll combine survey results with case studies and information from engagement events to create a report to take to public transport commissioners and service providers.

Our aim: to make a positive impact on future service provision.

How to get involved

📝 Take our survey: it takes less than five minutes to complete, depending on how much detail you choose to give. To take the survey, click here. Survey closes 31st October 2025.

📢 Share the survey with friends, family, and community groups.

🗣 Invite us to speak at your organisation or group meeting.

Who we want to hear from: We want to gather experiences from anyone who uses (or tries to use) public, community, or volunteer schemes to reach healthcare. In particular:

  • Disabled people
  • Older residents
  • People with long-term health conditions
  • Anyone without access to a private vehicle

Every voice matters, whether your journey has been smooth or difficult.

Why your voice matters – the information you provide will:

  • Highlight real barriers faced by local people.
  • Give decision-makers the evidence they need to make improvements.
  • Ensure transport planning reflects the needs of patients across Cumbria

This is your chance to help shape how transport services work for healthcare access in the future.

Contact us: 📧 info@healthwatchwestfurn.co.uk

📞 0300 373 2820

Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness is a patient voice organisation, listening to what people have to say about their health and social care.

Millom Court Homes To Let

Homes Available To Let For The Over ’50’s

Independent living for individuals aged 50 and over in Studio Apartments designed for comfort and independence.

Millom Court is centrally located in the lovely village of Arnside, within the Arnside & Silverdale National Landscape and with local facilities nearby.

✔ Spacious open-plan bedroom/living area

✔ Fitted kitchen & private shower room

✔ Ample in-flat storage

✔ Lift access & level flooring throughout

✔ Warden call system for peace of mind

Community Features

🌳 Shared Garden & communal lounge

🧺 On-site laundry

🎉 Regular social activities

🚉 Excellent transport links & local amenities

💷 Rent: £158 per week

✅ Those receiving benefits are welcome to apply

For more information or to arrange a viewing, call 0800 917 0092 or drop in and speak with the Scheme Manager.

Westmorland and Furness Council Logo

Westmorland & Furness Council Waste and Recycling Harmonisation

Following a Community Consultation that began in November/December 2024, these are the decisions based on the results of the consultation in which almost 3000 people took part – either by completing a survey and at in-person or online events. Further consultation will be required for the decision on whether or not to charge for garden waste collections. This will be included in the Budget Consultation, and a decision will be made by Full Council in February 2026.

What we want to achieve:

The proposals now agreed for future waste and recycling collections in Westmorland and Furness have been independently assessed against the following key criteria:

  • Reduce waste, increase recycling, and provide an improved service for our residents. To achieve .this, we have said that we want to create a single waste and recycling service for the whole of Westmorland and Furness.
  • Consistent Service – ensuring everyone receives the same services across all areas.
  • Improved Performance – making it easier and simpler for residents to waste less and recycle more.
  • Public perception – aligned with resident feedback from the ‘Community Conversation’ engagement, trial schemes and Options Consultation.
  • Carbon Impact – reducing the carbon impact of the service and contributing to the council’s net zero ambitions.
  • Strategic Fit – complies with Government legislation and Council Plan ambitions.
  • Achievability – difficulty implementing, considering things like costs/savings, available resources, need to buy new vehicles, containers etc. and how long will it take

We want to deliver collection services that make it easier and more convenient for people to recycle more and waste less, and that are more reliable, cost-effective and better for the environment.

What has been agreed

At a meeting of Cabinet on 9th September, councillors agreed new harmonised waste and recycling service arrangements for the whole of Westmorland and Furness. The following was approved:

  • Collections – The roll-out of an in-house waste and recycling collection service. This means that in the future, all collections will be delivered by council teams.
  • General Waste – Fortnightly residual (general) waste collections, using a 240-litre wheelie bin. Collections would be the alternate fortnight to recycling collections.
  • Recycling – Fortnightly recycling collection service using 2 x 180-litre wheeled bins. One wheelie bin will be for plastic, cans and glass and one will be for card and paper. Collections would be the alternate fortnight to residual waste collections.
  • Bespoke service arrangements will be looked at for any residents/communities that cannot adopt wheelie bins
  • Green Waste – No decision has been made on charges for garden waste and all options (no charging, partial charging and full charging) are still being considered. Any charges that are introduced for garden waste would be harmonised for the 2026/27 financial year and any proposed changes to fees and charges will be presented for approval, as part of the budget report, to Full Council early in 2026.

The first changes to collection services are expected to begin rolling out in the next few months, but the full implementation will take some time to complete.

Dallam School Logo

Dallam School Year 7 lay the foundation for future success

Over 100 Year 7 pupils spent the last Friday in September gaining skills and cementing friendships to support their transition to secondary school at Dallam School.

Head of Year 7, Paul Ainsworth said: “We work really hard to support our Year 7s, and this team-building day gives them dedicated time and space to develop friendships and get to know their form tutor. Making the step up from primary to secondary school can be a massive adjustment for students. We want them to feel a part of the school community right from the start. They also need to get used to a more diverse curriculum, different teaching styles, and an increased responsibility to manage their time and work more independently. Plus, it’s a critical period for finding friends, developing resilience, responsibility, confidence and their personalities,” added Mr Ainsworth.

The team-building day took place at the Heversham site, home of Dallam boarding, which pupils walked to from school. Four team-building events challenged them to work together, communicate, and use their problem-solving skills. Teaching staff supervised them and sixth-form students, many of whom started with us as Year 7 pupils, supported them. The event was the first of others planned for Year 7.

Mr Ainsworth shares his thoughts on how the two age ranges in school worked together so well: “I’m incredibly proud of our Sixth Formers and the leadership they demonstrated. Every Sixth Former threw themselves into the day with energy and enthusiasm. It was genuinely heartening to watch the way they interacted with the Year 7s, who clearly looked up to them. It’s moments like these that show how valuable student leadership is. I’ve also been particularly pleased to see how seamlessly our new boarders have integrated into the Dallam community – they’ve quickly become valued and respected members of the team. Our Sixth Formers have set a high standard of community spirit, personal excellence, and leadership – something for our Year 7s to aspire to.”

The application deadline for children coming to secondary school next September (2026) is Friday, 31 October. For more information and how to apply, click here.