Great Big Green Week 2026: 6th-14th June
Futureproof Cumbria and Cumbria Sustainability Network have supported Great Big Green Week since its inception in September 2021, as part of Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership’s commitment to broadening engagement with the climate debate, and getting as many people as possible to take local action.
Let's do our bit for climate and nature
Great Big Green Week is a national initiative coordinated by the Climate Coalition as a way of raising awareness of climate change and the biodiversity crisis, and getting more people involved in supporting nature and taking action to reduce their carbon footprint. This year Great Big Green Week overlaps with The Big Lunch, an annual campaign to bring people together to share friendship, food and fun. We encouraged community groups across Cumbria to get involved this June and host or attend an activity or event!
If you organised an event, don’t forget to complete our monitoring form and return to us by the end of June 2026:
Grants available to help you organise an event in June 2026
Whether you’re based in Westmorland & Furness or Cumberland, there’s support available to help you organise an event or activity in June 2026. Check the information below to see what funding is available in your area:
Groups in Westmorland & Furness
Thanks to the Westmorland & Furness locality boards, grants of up to £300 are available to help not-for-profit groups including youth groups, community organisations and charities organise an event to raise awareness of the need for communities to do our bit on climate and nature, or to plan a practical activity to tackle carbon emissions. The theme for Great Big Green Week events this year is ‘Together for Good’.
Organising a Great Big Green Week event is an effective way to:
- Reach out and involve more people in your community group
- Recruit volunteers
- Raise awareness
- Build morale
The earlier we start planning, the more interest we can generate, so don’t delay in sending in an application form.
Please download and complete the application form below and return to communitygrants@futureproofcumbria.org.uk.
Deadline to apply: 4th May 2026
Groups in Cumberland
Do you fancy taking part in The Big Lunch – the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours and communities, which sees millions of people coming together for a few hours of friendship, food and fun? The Food Cumberland Partnership is offering grants of up to £200 to help you run your own Food Cumberland Big Local Lunch event.
Aims: to bring together communities and promote:
- Local food
- Lower carbon and healthy food options
- Low waste, single-use-plastic-free events
- Food growing, including celebrating local growers, encouraging people to grow their own, and strengthening connections with community gardens, allotments and farms
Dates: This year the Big Lunch is on 5th-8th June, overlapping with Great Big Green Week (6th-14th June) and Open Farm Sunday (7th June), and running alongside the Eden Project’s Month of Community. Therefore, we invite applications for events throughout the month of June.
Deadline to apply: 4th May 2026
Support & guidance for hosting an activity or event
Top tips for before, during & after your event | A sustainability guide | Who to contact for extra help | And how to add your event to our website!
Upcoming webinars
Tell your green story: media & storytelling for Great Big Green Week
Wednesday 25th March at 7pm | Online (Zoom)
Plan a brilliant low-carbon event
Wednesday 15th April at 7pm | Online (Zoom)
If you organised a Great Big Green Week event, here are some top tips!
Click each of the links below…
- Make use of all the free publicity materials available on the Great Big Green Week website
- Use the Great Big Green Week branding and remember to include all grant funder logos!
- Submit details of your activity for publication on our events page
- Add your event to the Great Big Green Week calendar
- Keep a record of your successes and use it to fill in and return our monitoring form as soon as possible.
- Take lots of photographs of your event (with permissions in place from anyone who can be easily identified) – we’d love you to share with us, and post with the hashtag #GreatBigGreenWeek and #ZeroCarbonCumbria
- Link with other groups online by joining the Cumbria Sustainability Network Community Forum to post events or ask questions!
Zero Carbon Cumbria have a range of materials which you might find helpful including a flyer to download and some durable wooden A boards which are useful conversation starters for stalls and events – these would need to be booked in advance and transported to / from Penrith.
Food Cumberland Big Local Lunch Sustainability Guide:
Need more help?
If you need any help, support or trouble-shooting with your event (including with media contacts or local politicians), please contact CSN Coordinator, Helen Atewell:
Don't forget to upload your event to our website!
If you have a Great Big Green Week event planned, please submit your event below. Our team will review it and upload it to the website.
Last year nearly 80 groups throughout Cumbria got involved with a huge range of activities: from planting for pollinators, wildlife walks, films, talks, litter picks, compost demonstrations, music and performance, visual arts projects, games and family activities, learning about energy saving tips and solar panels, swap shops, repair cafes, upcycling and so much more.
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Get involved
- Find out how you can get involved with the Zero Carbon Cumbria partnership.
- Suggestions, ideas or questions are always welcome.