Megan's £40,000 dream
A schoolgirl from Cockermouth in Cumbria is trying to raise £40,000 so she can receive specialist treatment for cerebal palsy in America.
Flood levy for everyone's homes
The Government is considering charging everyone a 10% levy on their household insurance to cover the increasing cost of flooding.
Shootings doctor to carry torch into Cockermouth
A doctor who treated victims of the West Cumbria Shootings at the scene carried the Olympic torch into Cockermouth yesterday.
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Cockermouth Spring Clean 2013
People in Cockermouth are being encouraged to take part in a new initiative to give the town a good clean.
Town Centre Manager Joe Broomfield from Allerdale Borough Council has teamed up with Riversmeet Community Cooperative and Cockermouth and District Civic Trust to launch the 2013 "Cockermouth Spring Clean".
– Joe Bloomfield, Allerdale Borough Council“The Council’s Streetscene teams do a brilliant job – in fact, I regularly hear praise for Walter McDonald and Cyril Walker who are very familiar faces on the streets of Cockermouth – but there is always room for improvement.
"I certainly feel that some of the road signs would benefit from a spring clean.
“Through the combined efforts of the Council and those volunteering the Spring Clean should result in a big improvement to the look of Cockermouth. "If the day goes well this is something that we will look to do in other towns across Allerdale.”
The event kicks off at 10am on 24th May and will include cleaning the hard-to-reach signs in the town centre and on the gateways into the town, and the cleaning of smaller road signs in residential areas.
Anyone interested in volunteering should email joe.broomfield@allerdale.gov.uk.
– Frank McGrath, Founder, Riversmeet“We are delighted to actively support this initiative.
"Riversmeet members intend to make the Spring Clean a success and we hope this will be the first of many collaborations to enhance our local environment.”
'Community contribution was vital'
Sue Cashmore from the Cockermouth Flood Action group said:
"We would not have got the flood defences without this money.
"It may seem like a small amount in relation to the total but it was vital.
"We will all benefit from these defences and we are hoping it will mean insurance premiums will come down. At the moment at lot of people are being priced out of the market."
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Independent shops cough up the cash for flood scheme
Most of the money was raised by a council precept paid by those living around the town and a large portion came from local businesses.
– Jonty Chippendale, Chairman, Chamber of Trade"About 90% of the money which came from businesses came from the independent shops. It was very surprising that not many of the high street national shops donated.
"They claim to be local but in this case they really disappointed us.
"I am very proud of what Cockermouth has achieved and I think we can feel more confident now in bad weather.
"These flood defences are needed and will protect from most flooding - it won't protect us from a flood like 2009 but nothing can."
Cockermouth community raise £215k for flood defences
Community members and businesses in Cockermouth have raised the funds needed to secure the £4.4million flood defence scheme which will protect the town from future flooding.
Residents and businesses owners had to agree to raise £215,000 of the total sum the government released its funding, and that money has now been collected.
Work began on the flood defences last year and will be complete by June.
They include flood walls, barriers and a state of the art system at Ruby Banks where the barrier rises as the river swells - the first of its kind in the country.
Mountain rescue team marks 60th anniversary
The Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team is marking its 60th anniversary this week.
The group was originally formed to ease the pressure on the Keswick team, which had become overworked. Six decades on, the Cockermouth volunteers have attended an estimated 1,000 call-outs.
Its workload has increased in recent years due to the surge in popularity of hill walking and climbing. It currently has around forty members and is funded by voluntary contributions.
Cockermouth filling station gutted by fire
A filling station in Cockermouth has been gutted by a blaze that took fire engines from all over West Cumbria to put out.
A building at the P and R Benn Filling Station burst into flames on Sunday afternoon and required twenty five firefighters to bring under control.
No-one was injured in the fire.
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ROADS: Cockermouth, Station Road- Road cleared
Station Road in Cockermouth is now cleared following an earlier accident between Station Road and Lorton Road.
ROADS: Cockermouth, Station Road- Blocked
Station Road in Cockermouth is blocked in both directions due to an accident between Station Road and Lorton Road.
A66 death: Man named
A pedestrian who died after a road accident involving two cars has been named as Alexander James Patterson.
The 43-year-old, from Old Hall Went in Cockermouth, died on the A66 at Braithwaite on Tuesday (December 11th).
Cumbria Police say that the two cars involved were a BMW 525, driven by a 53-year-old man from Cockermouth and a Peugeot 306 driven by 60-year-old man from Keswick.
Both drivers are cooperating with police enquiries.
Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact PC John Firth of the Western Roads Policing unit or Sergeant Jo Walker of the Northern roads Policing unit on 101.
Heartless thieves rob charity clothing bank
A charity clothing recycling bank has been emptied by thieves in west Cumbria.
The clothing is used to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.
It was stolen from the organisation's collection point in Sullart Street, Cockermouth.
Cumbria Police are appealing for anyone with information to get in touch.
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