News

Great Penrith Picnic Brings Community Together in Castle Park Penrith Town Council would like to thank everyone who joined us in Castle Park on Saturday 4 July for the first Great Penrith Picnic. The inaugural event was a fantastic success, bringing together local community, voluntary and sports organisations for a relaxed day of family activities, live entertainment and community connection. The weather held up throughout the day, allowing visitors to make the most of one

Council supports Penrith BID’s town centre greening project for 2026 Penrith Town Council has provided a £4,000 contribution through its Communities Committee to support Penrith Business Improvement District’s (BID) town centre greening project for 2026. The funding has helped towards the cost of floral displays, hanging baskets and planters across the town centre, including Market Square, Middlegate and other key locations. The project aims to brighten the street scene, support local businesses and help make

Fairhill improvements mark latest step in £90,000 play area investment programme Penrith Town Council has completed improvement works at Fairhill Play Area, helping to keep it safe, well maintained and enjoyable for children and families over the Summer months and beyond. The works included the installation of new wetpour safety surfacing beneath the toddler log swing and the replacement of the former spring cockerel with a new spinner bowl play unit. The spinner bowl has

Government-funded boost for Penrith as new fingerposts and totem panels set for installation Penrith Town Council’s Wayfinding and Interpretation Project will move into its next phase in the coming weeks, with the installation of new fingerposts and visitor information totem panels across the town centre. The scheme, fully funded by a grant from the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, will replace and refresh outdated town centre signage, some of which is damaged, broken or missing panels.

May Day ‘Community Through a Lens’ Photo Competition Winners May Day ‘Community Through a Lens’ Photo Competition Winners Penrith Town Council with Penrith & District Camera Club held a photography competition for the first time at Penrith May Day 2026! The club has been running since 1980 and welcomes keen photographers of all ages and levels of experience. Beyond their weekly meetings, they arrange workshops, trips, and special events throughout April to September. This challenge

Penrith Armed Forces Week Flag Raising – 22 June 2026 Penrith Town Council is proud to organise this year’s Armed Forces Day flag raising ceremony in Penrith and to provide refreshments afterwards, as the community comes together to show its support for serving personnel, reservists, veterans, cadets and their families. Armed Forces Day 2026 takes place on Saturday 27 June 2026 and is preceded by the national flag-raising ceremony on Monday 22 June 2026, marking

New talking bench at Thacka Beck Field promotes kindness, connection and hope A new commemorative bench has now been installed at Thacka Beck Field, creating a lasting tribute to the Baton of Hope Tour 2025 and a welcoming place for reflection, connection and conversation. The installation was approved by Penrith Town Council’s Communities Committee following a request from Baton of Hope holder Terri Hope, who wanted to create a lasting legacy in Penrith after the

Fairhill Play Area – Temporary Closure (W/C 8 June) Fairhill Play Area will be temporarily closed from week commencing 8 June 2026 to allow essential repair works to take place. The works will include repairs to the safety surface and the replacement of failing play equipment, following issues identified through an independent play area inspection. The closure is necessary to ensure the play area remains safe for all users. Please note that the start date

Sounds Around Town Returns to Penrith for Summer 2026! Back by popular demand, Sounds Around Town is returning to Penrith for Summer 2026! Penrith Town Council, in collaboration with Plug & Play, Eden Valley Artistic Network (EVAN), and the Penrith Arts & Culture group, is once again bringing live music to the streets of Penrith every Saturday throughout the summer months. Sounds Around Town celebrates the incredible local talent in Penrith and Cumbria while encouraging

Council confirms Chair, Deputy Chair and committee appointments at annual meeting Councillor Valerie Bowen, Councillor for the Penrith Pategill Ward, has been re-elected as Chair of Penrith Town Council & Mayor of Penrith at the Council’s annual meeting on 18 May 2026. Councillor Barbara Jayson, Councillor for the Penrith West Ward, has been re-elected as Deputy Chair of Penrith Town Council & Deputy Mayor of Penrith. Councillor Val Bowen, Chair of Penrith Town Council &

Council Publishes its Annual Report 2025/26 Penrith Town Council is pleased to announce the publication of its Annual Report for 2025/26, providing residents a summary of the Council’s work over the past year. The report highlights the Council’s achievements, including awarding over £40,000 in grants to local groups and charities, continuing delivery of its £90,000 Play Area Development Fund across Penrith, delivering major community events such as Penrith May Day 2026, securing £196,116 for the

Penrith May Day 2026 draws thousands into town centre for bank holiday fun Penrith Town Council would like to thank everyone who joined us in the town centre on Monday 4 May for Penrith May Day 2026. The event was a fantastic success, bringing thousands of people into Penrith for a day packed with entertainment, performances, activities and family fun – all inspired by this year’s theme, “In the Garden.” Organised by Penrith Town Council,

The Great Penrith Picnic comes to Castle Park this summer Penrith Town Council is inviting residents to enjoy a brand‑new community event this summer with the launch of The Great Penrith Picnic, taking place on Saturday 4 July 2026 in Castle Park. The free event is designed primarily as a showcase for local community, sports and voluntary groups, giving residents the chance to learn more about what’s on offer in Penrith and how they can

Penrith May Day 2026 is almost here! The countdown to Penrith May Day 2026 is on, and the town centre is set to come alive on Monday 4 May 2026 with an afternoon packed with lots of entertainment, performances, activities and family fun – all inspired by this year’s theme, “In the Garden.” Organised by Penrith Town Council, the event takes place in Penrith town centre from 12pm to 5pm, with the funfair at Sandgate

Penrith Town Council invites residents to Annual Town Meeting Penrith Town Council will hold its Annual Town Meeting on Monday 18 May 2026 from 6.00pm to 7.00pm at Unit 2, 19­­-24 Friargate, Penrith. Doors open at 5.00pm for registration and networking. Light refreshments will be available. The Annual Town Meeting is a meeting of Penrith local government electors and is not a meeting of the Town Council. The meeting will be hosted by the Penrith

Mayor and Deputy Mayor donate annual expenses to The Happy Mums Foundation The Mayor & Deputy Mayor of Penrith have donated their annual expenses to The Happy Mums Foundation (HMF), supporting local mums with accessible, emotional and peer support. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor can claim expenses associated with their civic duties. These unspent expenses are often donated to local good causes. This year, their combined expenses amount to £1,000 in total, and will help

Public Consultation Now Open on 20mph Proposal for Castletown Westmorland and Furness Council has launched a public consultation on a proposed 20mph speed limit for Castletown, Penrith, as part of the next phase of community‑backed 20mph schemes. Penrith Town Council has provisionally secured funding through Westmorland and Furness Council to reduce speed limits to 20mph in areas of Penrith not already covered. The aim is to support safer roads, reduce vehicle noise, and create a

Refreshed Council website to improve accessibility and usability Penrith Town Council has completed a refresh of its website to make it clearer, more accessible and easier for residents and visitors to find and access Council information. The update forms part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to improving how it communicates with the community and ensuring that online information works better for people with different needs, devices and levels of digital confidence. The refreshed website focuses

Castletown Play Area Benefits from Latest Council Investment in Play New play equipment has been installed at Castletown Play Area as part of Penrith Town Council’s £90,000 Play Area Development Reserve, which is delivering improvements to play facilities across all Penrith wards. As part of this programme, £15,000 has funded the installation of a Little City Plus unit supplied by Playdale Playgrounds, providing an engaging and imaginative play experience designed specifically for younger children. The

Penrith Town Council to submit UK Town of Culture Expression of Interest for Penrith   Penrith Town Council will submit an Expression of Interest to be considered as a potential UK Town of Culture, setting out an ambitious and community‑focused vision for celebrating the town’s culture, heritage and creativity. The decision to submit the bid was agreed at the Council’s Communities Committee meeting on Monday 23 March 2026, recognising the opportunity to raise Penrith’s profile,

Penrith Town Council Supports New Accessible Path at Cold Springs Nature Reserve Image Description: Cllr Scott Jackson (Left) & Ami Stidolph (Right) standing on the new accessible path at Cold Springs Nature Reserve. A new accessible path has been installed at Cold Springs Nature Reserve thanks to support from Penrith Town Council, helping more people enjoy the site all year round. The 0.6km route links the reserve’s pond platform to the wildlife garden (delivered through