A SPECIAL event to explore the proud mining heritage of West Cumbria and the opportunities for new green jobs will take place at the Helena Thompson Museum in Workington.

Organised by Climate Emergency West Cumbria and Friends of the Earth, the evening will consist of two films, followed by a discussion on green jobs and whether they offer a viable alternative to traditional industries like mining for the people of West Cumbria.

The panel discussion will be chaired by Janett Walker, the CEO and co-founder of Anti Racist Cumbria.

The panellists will include Valerie Hallard, who previously worked for the Cumbria Careers Service and has more recently been a member of the General Synod for the Diocese of Carlisle, Anne Chapman, a member of Green House think tank who worked on the report 'The potential for Green Jobs in Cumbria', published by Cumbria Action for Sustainability in March 2021 and the local filmmaker Julia Parks.

The films shown will be: ‘Workington Red’ (2019) by Julia Parks, a film looking at the way in which coal, steel and nuclear industries have shaped the landscape and people of West Cumbria. ‘The Cumberland Story’ (1947) by Humphrey Jennings, which looks at industrial democracy in the mining industry in Whitehaven in the 1940s.

The event is part of the work Friends of the Earth is doing alongside local communities and in parallel with other bodies to secure support for the green jobs that would provide much-needed sustainable employment.

These include new jobs in energy efficiency, low-carbon heating, solar power, and offshore wind.

Tickets for the free event, from 6.30-9pm on Monday, October 18, are available at www.eventbrite.com.