Welcome to the
Students raise over £1000 for charity
Get involved, get inspired: academic societies
Score student savings at Carlisle United
April and May’s events and activities
Carlisle Cathedral’s spring offering
Spark something new at Cumbria: set up your own activity!
Tullie’s April and May offering
Help shape your enrichment programme
Student Oppor tunities Fund
Spring has well and truly sprung the days are stretching out, the sunshine is making a welcome return and those rainy spells are (thankfully!) slowing down. Welcome to the third and final issue of our Carlisle student enrichment newsletter, bringing you a fantastic mix of opportunities across April and May.
With Easter fast approaching, we’re excited to spotlight events from our partners at Tullie and Carlisle Cathedral, as well as upcoming home fixtures at Carlisle United Football Club. There’s plenty on offer, and we hope you’ll get the chance to dive into their brilliant Easter programmes. Look out for more details later in this issue.
As we edge closer to the end of the academic year, UoC Active has an amazing line-up planned. From a ‘dryathlon’ at Carlisle’s Sands Centre to a World Cup warm‑up on the Harraby 3G pitches, plus hybrid trials at our Fusehill Street sports centre, there’s something for everyone to get involved in.
Our Global Café series also continues this month in the Chapel at Fusehill Street. This is a friendly, relaxed space to meet staff and students, chat, connect and enjoy some refreshments.
Since this is the final edition of the newsletter, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this pilot project. Your feedback really matters, and you’ll find more information on how to share it on page 17.
On Wednesday 11 March, UoC Active hosted a 5-hour Multi-Spor ts Marathon to allow students to try new activities, share skills and fundraise for local causes.
Amongst the charities which were championed by the UoC/PCSM students were Eden Valley Hospice, Safety Net UK - Cumbria, Carlisle Foodbank and Mind Over Mountains. Suppor t was gratefully received from UoC Active colleagues, student societies and Char twells Catering.
Martyn Crowe, who proposed and organised the event, summarised the day:
"The event seen more than 50 students gather at Carlisle Spor ts Centre to compete, play and even cheerlead one another!
“Throughout the afternoon, par ticipants went head-to-head in Volleyball, Netball, Badminton and Dodgeball, in back-to-back matches of the giant tournament. As a collective, the student teams managed to raise £1,035.00 (as of 13.03.26) for charities in the area. We've been elated with the reception and outcome of the entire thing!"
As a student on our Carlisle campuses, the University of Cumbria Students’ Union (UCSU) offer a range of academic societies for you to get involved in. They offer an oppor tunity to meet new people, build new skills and enrich your university experience. From midwifery to law and physiotherapy to wildlife media, there’s something for you to get involved in and make the most of your time at Cumbria!
Current academic societies include:
Midwifery Society
Physiotherapy Society
Criminology Society
Law Society
Zoological Society
Allied Health Fellows
Emergency, Pre-Hospital & Primary Care Soc
Medsoc
Wildlife Society
You can find out more about each of these societies, and others, including how to sign up, to the right.
Nothing that suits you or your academic cohor t? Why not create your own society – check out how any student can do this using the links and QR codes to the right.
Carlisle United Football Club’s games offer a great oppor tunity to get to know your university city and its community. With excellent discounts on tickets for university students, why not go and suppor t them?
Upcoming home fixtures are:
Friday 3 April at 15.00 – playing against Gateshead
Saturday 11 April at 15.00 – playing against Sutton United Saturday 25 April at 12.30 – playing against Brackley Town
Students are eligible for discounted matchday tickets for home games. For this football season students can buy their home match tickets at a discounted price of £11 (terrace) or £14 (seating).
In addition, a retail discount of 5% is available for purchases in the Club Shop on presentation of your University of Cumbria ID card.
You will need to show your student photo ID card at the Brunton Park ticket office the first time you buy a ticket, after which you will be registered on the system The offer is not transferable, and you must be prepared to show ID on match day if requested.
Carlisle United Football Club’s address is: Brunton Park, Warwick Road, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA1 1LL.
ht tps://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/
Wednesday 15 April -
Join UoC Active at Harraby 3G Football Pitches for a 5 a side football competition with a World Cup twist. The event star ts at 13.00 at the Carlisle Spor ts Centre on our Fusehill Street campus.
Wednesday 22 April
Join UoC Active at Carlisle’s Sands Centre gym for an indoor super sprint triathlon featuring a row, bike and run over very shor t distanceshave a go at a triathlon, without getting wet!
Wednesday 6 May –
Making a return after last year’s success, the 2026 hybrid trials star t at 13.00 Carlisle Spor ts Centre on Fusehill Street campus. The mini fitness race comprises of eight challenging physical fitness activities with a 400m run circuit around our campus in between.
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Join our Chaplain and students for a hike, coffee, browsing and exploration during a visit to Lanercost Priory. Sign up by emailing the University Chaplain. Please see the Carlisle student enrichment Blackboard site for details.
Tuesday 28 April 15.00 –17.00 – Global café
Join us in the Fusehill Street Chapel to meet staff and students, talk and make friends at the Global Café event hosted by the university’s international student advisor. There is no need to sign up, just simply arrive! Refreshments will be provided.
Dryathlon sign up
Hybrid trials sign up
Looking to boost your employability, explore career options or get job ready? MyCareer Enriched, our dedicated career hub, has everything you need to take your next step with confidence. With many events and webinars, there will be something to help you out.
MyCareer Enriched
Carlisle Cathedral is hosting a programme of ser vices for Holy Week and Easter, along with special ser vices, tours, talks and live music throughout April and May.
You can find more information about these events, and everything else happening at the Cathedral over the next two months, by clicking this link or scanning the QR code.
Wednesday 1 April
17.45 Choral Evensong with Sermon
Thursday 2 April
19.30 Choral Eucharist with the Washing of Feet and the Stripping of the Altars
21.00 The Watch
Friday 3 April
12.00 The Seven Last Words
13.30 The Liturgy of Good Friday
21.00 Taizé Tenebrae: The Liturgy of Shadows
Saturday 4 April
17.45 The Easter Liturgy (par t one): The Vigil
19.30 The Easter Liturgy (par t two): The Service of the Light, Baptism, Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows and Confirmation within Choral Eucharist
Sunday 5 April
10.30 Easter Day Choral Eucharist
15.30 Festal Evensong with Sermon
Monday 6 April
09.00 Morning Prayer
12.30 Eucharist
15.00 Evening Prayer
TALKS
Thursday 5 May
12.00 The Vikings in Cumbria
Every Friday
Angels’ View Tours
Saturday 16 May
Bell Tour Tours at 10.00, 11.00, 13.30 and 14.30
Wednesday 1 April
14.00 IVAN HOVORUN (Piano)
Wednesday 8 April
14.00 JULIE BEST AND JEAN CORRIGHAN (Accordions)
Wednesday 15 April
14.00 LAURA BAILEY (Vocals and piano)
Wednesday 29 April
14.00 EDWARD TAYLOR (Organ)
QUIZ NIGHTS
Last Friday of each month at 19.30
FARMERS’ MARKET
First Saturday of each month from 09.00 - 14.00.
From education to ar ts, business to science and health to medicine, we’d love to see you drive your ideas!
Got a great idea for a new student group or society? Whether it’s a hobby you love, a cause you care about or something completely unique, UCSU has guidance and tools to suppor t you in this.
What will you need?
Star ting a group is simple. You just need:
Two or more students to form your group committee
A meeting with UCSU’s Groups Coordinator, who will guide you through everything—from managing your group’s finances to planning events and getting your name out there
When you set up a new group, you’ll get access to loads of suppor t and resources to help you thrive:
£75 Star t up Fund once your group reaches three members
Three rounds of Group Grants each year, where you can apply for up to £500 to grow your society
Exceptional Grants, perfect for one off costs or special purchases
Access to on‑campus spaces, arranged through our links with the university
Help with booking transpor t or external venues for your activities
Insurance for all UCSU‑approved events, tailored specifically to the types of activities student groups run
Most of your members should be University of Cumbria students, but external members can join too—as long as you get approval from your Groups Coordinator. If that ’s something you’re interested in, just let us know and we’ll suppor t you with the next steps.
After an amazing line‑up of activities in March, we’re delighted to bring you another jam packed programme of events at Tullie for April and May.
There’s something for everyone! Whether you’re looking to explore a new interest, try something creative or enjoy a day out with friends and family.
You can explore the full programme of events, and find additional information, on Tullie’s website.
Tuesday 7 April 13.00 – 14.00: Free lunchtime talk – Making common sense: how the 1984-85 miners’ strike is remembered 14.15 – 15.15: Social history group
Thursday 9 April 14.30 – 16.00 : Homeward bound, the incredible journey
Sunday 12 April 13.30 – 15.30: Tullie textiles 11.00 – 12.30: Remake and renew
Saturday 18 April 11.00 – 16.00: Carlisle zine fest
Sunday 19 April 19.00 – 22.30: Built on Bach Tour – Neil Cowley Trio
Thursday 23 April 16.00 – 19.00: Tullie lates
Saturday 2 May 10.00 – 12.30: Vibrant spring gelli painting with Vega Brennan
Monday 4 May 18.30 – 21.30: National Theatre Live – All My Sons
Tuesday 5 May 13.00 – 14.00: A volunteer’s experience of Roman Carlisle – free lunchtime talk
Tuesday 5 May 14.15 – 15.15: Social history group
Sunday 10 May 11.00 – 12.30: Remake and renew
Sunday 10 May 13.00 – 16.00: The Gladiatorial World – beastly combat and arena insights
Saturday 16 May 19 30 – 22 00: Johnny Campbell and Chris Butterfield –celebrating the landscapes of Northern England
Saturday 23 May 10.00 – 16.00: The Romans return! A festival of Roman Carlisle
We want your student enrichment oppor tunities to reflect what you care about — your interests, your ideas and the experiences you want to have while studying at university. That ’s why we’re always looking for students who want to get involved, share feedback or even help bring new activities to life.
Got thoughts on what ’s working well? Ideas on what could be improved? We’d love to hear from you. You can share your feedback through:
Emailing your thoughts to max young@cumbria ac uk
Going to the Carlisle Student Enrichment BlackBoard site and filling out the snapshot survey under the ‘Shape your enrichment programme’ section.
If you’re feeling inspired and want to take your idea fur ther, you can even work with us to set up your own activity, event or group. See the information on page ten to find out more.
The student oppor tunities fund has been created in consultation with the student advisory panel to suppor t eligible students with low household income to access development oppor tunities that suppor t employability through professional and personal development. Eligible UK undergraduate University of Cumbria students can apply for up to £500 towards an oppor tunity that suppor ts their development.
Applications are assessed in two rounds during the academic year. The first deadline was 17.00 on Monday 30 March 2026. The final deadline is 17.00 on Monday 25 May 2026.
For full eligibility criteria and details of how the fund works, click here or scan the QR code below.
