Be part of history: Design Cumbria’s first Community Flag
Cumbria is set to receive its very own community flag, and residents from across the county are invited to unleash their creativity and contribute to its design.
Whether you’re an individual, school, community group, or organisation, this is a unique opportunity to become part of Cumbrian history.
The University of Cumbria is among the partners supporting the Lord-Lieutenant and the High Sheriff of Cumbria to launch an exciting design competition to create a community flag that represents the county with honour. The competition is open from 12noon today (Monday 24 March) until 12 noon on Friday 25 April 2025. Other partners include Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, Carlisle Cathedral, and the Flag Institute.
Let’s create a flag that celebrates Cumbria’s unique heritage, culture, and community spirit! Get involved by submitting your design, whether it’s a drawing, painting, digital artwork, or crafted creation by following the competition’s terms and conditions and the official Flag Institute guidelines.
Flags are one of the world’s oldest art forms - bold symbols that have long been used to show allegiance, identity, and social pride. From sports matches and military parades to music festivals, flags are everywhere, adding colour and meaning to the events and places we love.
Now, it’s Cumbria’s turn to fly its own flag!
Why create a community flag for Cumbria?
Unlike many counties in England, Cumbria does not currently have an official community flag representing the county as a whole. While we do have an existing flag of authority, created in 1974 when the ceremonial county was formed, this is primarily flown from official buildings such as council offices. A community flag, however, would be a freely available symbol that any individual or group could use to express their connection to Cumbria.
This competition offers an opportunity for all members of the community to contribute to the creation of a unifying symbol. A community flag for Cumbria will be a free, public emblem for everyone to use, helping to:
- Express pride in our local community.
- Increase recognition and awareness of Cumbria on a national scale.
- Celebrate the heritage and culture of our corner of the country
- Complement the existing community flags of Cumbria’s constituent historic counties.
How to enter
It’s easy, simply take a look at our community flag competition pack that can be found on the Lord-Lieutenant’s website: Cumbria Community Flag | Cumbria Lord-Lieutenant to make sure your design follows the competition’s terms and conditions and the Flag Institute’s design guidelines.
You can then either enter the community flag competition online or complete the entry form that can be found in the competition pack. Send your design to the address below:
A Community Flag for Cumbria
University of Cumbria
Brampton Road
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA3 9AY
What happens next?
A panel of judges will select a shortlist of designs, which will then go to an online public vote opening in May 2025. All shortlisted designs will be professionally redrawn to ensure a consistent look. The winning flag will be proudly registered with the Flag Institute’s UK Flag Registry.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria, Mr. Alexander Scott, said:
“Cumbria is a county with a rich and diverse history, and a community flag will provide an opportunity for us to come together and celebrate our shared identity. I encourage everyone to get involved in this great initiative, which will help strengthen our sense of belonging and pride in our county.”
The High Sheriff of Cumbria, Mr. Chris Holmes said:
“I am proud to be supporting this initiative and encourage everyone to get involved. Cumbria as a region has existed in various forms for centuries and predates its latest definition, the administrative entity most of us will be most familiar with, which came into being 50 years ago. This flag is not tied to any territorial definition and is free to use for anyone proud of Cumbria. The rich heritage of the county does provide plenty of inspiration for designing a flag”.
Mr. Philip Tibbetts, Communities Vexillologist at the Flag Institute, said:
"I am delighted to be back supporting flags in the region, having previously worked with Penrith, Appleby, Nenthead and Wreay. Given the ancient origins and unique history of the wider Cumbrian region, encompassing it's time as a Welsh speaking region and later incorporation into England, I am excited by the potential inspiration that can be drawn on. I look forward to seeing the winner take its rightful place flying next to the regions constituent historic county and town flags in future."
ENDS
Notes to editors
Notes to Editor
This competition is entirely focused on creating a community flag for Cumbria and has no connection to any governmental or political processes. While its timing coincides with ongoing discussions about devolution, the initiative is independent and solely intended to celebrate Cumbria’s shared identity, heritage, and community spirit. We recognise that some may seek to draw links between the two, but we are committed to ensuring clear messaging that distinguishes this project from any political developments.
Flag entry details
A page will be available on the Lord-Lieutenant’s website with all the information needed to enter this competition from 12noon on Monday 24 March 2025.
Current flags within Cumbria
Cumbria does not have a single community flag that represents the entire region and is freely available for public use. Instead, a variety of flags represent its historic counties, towns, and administrative bodies.
The historic counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire (including Furness), and Yorkshire (including Sedbergh) each have community flags that are publicly available. Additionally, the West Riding of Yorkshire has a registered community flag.
Several towns and villages within Cumbria also have their own community flags, including Appleby, Nenthead, Penrith, and Wreay. In contrast, banners of arms exist for some city, town, and village councils - such as Carlisle - but these are not freely available for public use. The Cumbria Council banner of arms is also restricted in its use.
About Cumbria Lieutenancy
The Lord-Lieutenant is the King’s personal representative in Cumbria, appointed to uphold the dignity of the Crown and support local communities. The role involves promoting a spirit of cooperation and goodwill, encouraging voluntary service, and supporting civic and business life in the county. The Lord-Lieutenant also plays a key role in arranging royal visits, presenting honours and awards, and participating in ceremonial events that celebrate the achievements of local individuals and organisations.
About the High Sheriff
The High Sheriff is the King’s representative for law and order in the county, a role that dates back over 1,000 years. The position is largely ceremonial and voluntary, with responsibilities including supporting the judiciary, law enforcement, and emergency services, as well as promoting community cohesion and voluntary organisations. The High Sheriff also plays a key role in recognising and celebrating the achievements of individuals and groups who contribute to the wellbeing of Cumbria’s communities.
Flag Institute
The Flag Institute is the world’s leading research and documentation centre for flags and flag information. The Institute is also the largest vexillological membership organisation in the world. The Institute provides vexillological services to HM Government in the UK and to many other organisations around the world, including the United Nations. These services include advising on the use of flags, designing new flags and collating information on flags of the world.
University of Cumbria
We are the University of Cumbria, for and from Cumbria and our localities, rooted in and serving our communities and powered by our three greatest assets - people, place, and partnership. We were established in Cumbria for a reason, and this drives us: to increase higher education participation in our county, to address higher-level skills and sector needs and most importantly to positively impact on the lives and livelihoods of individuals across our communities.
Our campuses in Carlisle, Ambleside, Barrow (from late 2025), Lancaster and London, and our presence on the West Coast of Cumbria, provide us with the physical environment, digital infrastructure and geographical reach to deliver our strategic aims.
As a modern university based in the real world, we aim to prepare our graduates for work and life. Central to this aim is the promotion of an environment that encourages our students to use their skills, talent and intellect in delivering social, cultural and economic and social benefit.
Contacts:
Suzannah Walker, Cumbria Lieutenancy
Lieutenancy@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Kelly Pattison, University of Cumbria Communications
E: Kelly.pattison@cumbria.ac.uk
Karen Jones, Business Manager, University of Cumbria