The geese are making their presence felt on the shores of Derwentwater as watery sunshine and the odd crisp clump of snowdrops hint at warmer days to come.

The National Trust is the biggest conservation charity in Europe. The breadth and depth of the charity’s role is varied and maybe nowhere more so than in Cumbria.

Yet news that the charity had to cut around 500 jobs nationally to save £26 million caused concern about the impact change could have in the county.

In this edition we meet Jez Westgarth, the National Trust’s Assistant Director Operations for Cumbria and North Lancashire, who talks to the podcast about the changes and challenges the charity faces plus his hopes for the future.

No it wasn’t a dream, Cumbria really is set to host theworld’s biggest cycle race!

The  Tour de France comes to the county in 2027.

Not only is it set to be a major attraction but footagewill be beamed all over the world.

In this special edition of Northern Lights we’ll hear fromsomeone who knows more than most about the draw of the event and what it could mean in the longer term for Cumbria.

Prof Phil Leigh is Senior Knowledge ExchangeManager at the University of Cumbria and has a background in cycling at the highest level.

“The time for talking is definitely over and 2026 is definitely the first year of delivery,” according to the man behind the unique three-way partnership that forms Team Barrow.

Simon Case is the chair of the organisation made up of central government, Westmorland and Furness Council and BAE Systems responsible for ‘mobilising the national effort’ to support every aspect of life in Barrow.

In this interview he tells us why he wanted to chair the team he created, the challenges it faces and the determination he has to transform the town.

Passengers idly glancing from their train window as they pass Lazonby may wonder what goes on in the warehouses that run parallel to the Settle Carlisle line.

Maybe the occasional whiff of fresh baking may offer some clue.

The products emerging from the family-owned Bells bakery has led to the village becoming synonymous with tasty treats all over the UK and beyond.

Next year the firm will mark the 80th birthday of a business established by John Bell in 1946.

At the helm today is newly appointed managing director Rob Keeping who’s been sharing details about his background and his plans for the coming years with Business Crack’s Nigel Thompson:

Show notes:

2 minutes Setting the scene at Lazonby where trains pass within feet of the bakery and passengers occasionally look for a coffee - and a cake of course!

3 minutes Bells is a family firm so how does Rob feel as the latest member of the team?

4 minutes The importance of maintaining the Cumbrian link in packaging and marketing.

5 minutes The importance of Lazonby as a location

7 minutes The range the company produces and how it has changed

9 minutes The rising prices of ingredients and how Bells manage changing conditions

12 minutes Plans for 2026

14 minutes Exploring new markets

16 minutes Do customers get in touch?

17 mins The key question; does Rob bake!?

Thanks to Rob and to you for downloading this edition of Northern Lights.

Subscribe now to hear more editions in 2026!

The Lake District; 912 square miles, home to England’s deepest lake and highest mountain and on the ‘must-see’ list of millions of tourists every year.

It’s also the home to a small and declining number of people who live there all year around.

Less than half of the land is owned by members who make up the Lake District National Park Partnership. The majority - 63% - is in private ownership.

The partnership’s new five year plan, a piece of work setting out how the 24 members will tackle the challenges the area faces, is now up for review.

The partnership is chaired by Dr Celia Caulcott, an academic and an independent who’s urging people to have their say on a plan that will set the course for the park over the next five years.

So what reaction is there to the 2025 Budget in Cumbria?

We've been  asking a variety of people from sectors all over Cumbria for their views on the Budget and how they see it making a difference - good or bad - to all of us.

We'll bring you an overview from The Work Foundation and hear from the world of manufacturing, and two businesses involved in very different products.

We’ll hear from a tax specialist, an HR expert and from the charitable sector too.

Show notes:

Ben Harrison director of the ⁠Work Foundation⁠, a think tank based at Lancaster University, offers an overview of some of the key points and an insight into what impact it may make.Mel Kinsella, HR consultant

Chris France, MD Jennings Brewery

Jayne Moorby, Oxley Developments

Graham Poles, Armstrong Watson

Matthew Burden, project manager, Barrow Foodbank

The BECBC annual awards are a chance for companies, individuals and charities to get together and celebrate success in West Cumbria.

Held at Energus on 20th November, a dozen awards were made in highly competitive categories.

In the hour before the event began we went backstage to meet a variety of nominees and hear from Chief Executive Dianne Richardson and Head Judge John Grainger about what makes the awards so special.

We hear from Dr Zoe Billings, Natasha Banks of Great North Air Ambulance, Clint Stamper, Adam Pearson of Adamedia, Mark Telford of Forth Engineering.

Subscribe now to hear more from Northern Lights.

Between 2009 and 2019 Rory Stewart’s regular column for the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald was as varied as it was informative.

From Eden to the Middle East, Roman history to super fast broadband (or lack of), his diverse observations and comments were unlike anything politicians normally write.

Middleland is not just a compilation of these articles; it’s an insight into all forms of life at a time of major changes in what was Britain’s most rural constituency.

He's been talking to Nigel Thompson about some of the highlights from a book that contains articles from his time as MP.

Highlights:

1 min 34" How Cumbria has changed and Rory's perspective.

3 mins 22" During his time as MP he walked around his constituency to meet the people he served. Here he talks about what inspired him to do that.

5 mins 30" He reflects on the farming industry and the challenges faced.

9 mins 20" Trying to convert the PM to love Cumbria

12 mins 20" Too many outsiders wearing fleeces telling farmers how to manage their land?

15' 10" Working to connect Cumbria

19'10" Why Middleland has been published now and what he hopes it will achieve.

22' 07" Rory's view on the Cumbrian mayoral role - and is he interested in the job?

25'14" Reflecting on the continuing role of the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald and the importance of local media.

Thanks to Rory Stewart for talking to Northern Lights.

The Lake District National Park is the biggest in England.

Home to the country's highest mountain and deepest lake, it's also not without its challenges.

This summer has seen a spate of anti-social behaviour in beauty spots, budget cuts along with challenges to keep services running at a time when the area's five year plan is being drawn up.

The chief executive of the national park authority is Gavin Capstick who began the role a year ago.

In this edition of Northern Lights we discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the LDNPA now and in the future.

The first of a new breed of doctors who could make a major difference to the lives of people across Cumbria have begun their studies at the country’s newest medical school.

The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine (PCSM) is the first graduate-entry medical school in Cumbria and the result of a collaboration between Imperial College in London and the University of Cumbria.

Business Crack’s Nigel Thompson has met some of the first cohort and heard how it’s hoped they could soon be making a difference to the health of Cumbrians.