Council opening hours throughout Christmas
Some Westmorland and Furness Council offices will be closed over the Christmas and New Year Bank Holidays. Read the full list of Council opening hours during the festive period.
Highlights and resources from 2025 and plans for 2026
Find video highlights, presentation slides, feedback from colleagues and how to let us know how the day went for you. You can also let us know if you have any suggestions for next time.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the 2025 Staff Conference and Expo. Around 1,000 colleagues joined us at Kendal Town Hall and the Brewery Arts Centre. It was a fantastic day filled with insight, inspiration and connection.
The event featured:
- engaging keynote speakers
- interactive workshops
- a buzzing expo of services
- opportunities to share ideas, celebrate success, and build connections across teams
We've published information about the day, including:
• video highlights capturing the energy and excitement of the day
• presentation slides from keynote and workshop sessions
• colleague feedback and how to add your own!
We also want to hear from you if you have any suggestions for the next staff conference and expo.
Presentation slides
We had brilliant speakers - their sessions were insightful, inspiring and sparked lots of conversation. You can find their presentation slides below:
- a safe space in a new place - finding homes for refugee children
- abuse at work is not ok! Together we work safely
- working smarter with AI and IA - how intelligent automation and artificial intelligence are already helping us work better
- being part of a successful council - good governance
- building connections and breaking down barriers!
- carers supporting carers - the Mockingbird model of foster care in Cumbria
- community power
- ICT update
- our journey to net zero
- welcome to work in the visitor economy
Watch the highlights
Watch the highlights from the Westmorland and Furness Staff Conference 2025 on YouTube.
Feedback
Here's a snapshot of what colleagues have shared so far:
- “the expo massively exceeded expectations – great energy and engagement”
- “the buzz on the day was amazing”
- “the talks were really interesting and thought-provoking”
- “it was great meeting colleagues from different directorates and hearing about their work”
- “I enjoyed learning about other services, meeting people face-to-face, and sharing ideas”
- “the event offered great opportunities to network”
Share your thoughts
If you've already provided feedback, thank you. If you haven't, there's still time.
It only takes a couple of minutes, and will help us to shape future events.
Staff conference and expo 2026
Building on the success of this year’s event, we’re already thinking about how to make the next one even more valuable, inspiring, and engaging.
We'd love to hear your suggestions
Whether it’s a venue idea or something you'd like to see on the programme, please email us.
Email: events.WAF@cumbria.gov.uk.