Cumberland Council's annual Health and Wellbeing Festival

The festival, held on August 16, promises a day of fun activities and learning resources for the family during the fun-filled, health-focused, and free community event.

The event, initiated in 2021, will begin at 10am and end at 3pm at Whitehaven Rugby League Club’s Recreation Ground.

Organised by the council's social prescribing team, the festival is in line with their ongoing commitment to promote better community health and wellbeing.

Besides the fun, families will have access to an extensive range of wellbeing services providing support and information.

Activities lined-up include bouncy castles, climbing walls, a fun run with Marathon Man Gary McKee, face painting, drumming sessions, craft activities, dance sessions, qigong - a form of Chinese meditation, and more.

Workshops in rugby rules and songwriting techniques will be facilitated, and there will be street entertainment featuring circus performers.

The younger attendees may be particularly interested in meeting representatives from the police and fire and rescue services, who will be present with their vehicles.

The free festival is scheduled to coincide with the summer holiday when youngsters can maximise the experience.

A host of organisations will offer support on a variety of issues such as finances, loneliness, mental and physical well-being, and much more.

Colin Cox, the council's director of public health and communities, said: "Our mission as a council is to offer every opportunity for people to achieve better health and wellbeing.

"The Health and Wellbeing Festival is a fun opportunity to bring that right into the heart of the community.

"The whole day is free too, so it is a great chance to have some family time without breaking the bank."

There will be some food and drink available for children free of charge, while stocks last.

Other food vendors will also be at the venue.

Families are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket as there would be plenty of space for relaxation.

In addition to the council, the Health and Wellbeing Festival is supported by the Box Encapsulation Plant project under Sellafield.

Catherine Melvin, project wellbeing advisor at BEP, said: "This is the third year that we have been involved in the festival and we're hugely proud of the work we do."

The event is also sponsored by Rosehill, the Copeland Wellness Service, Active Cumbria, and the Copeland Community Fund.

Emma Moynihan of Copeland Community Fund applauded the festival while noting that it allows residents and families the opportunity to access many of the local support services available to them.

The council's social prescribing team can guide interested members of the community to these services via their website.

Social prescribing, facilitated by the council, is a key ingredient in this entire endeavour.

This approach aims to improve an individual's health and wellbeing by connecting them with community activities, groups, and services, inevitably turning potential medical concerns into manageable life activities down the line.