I’D like to begin this week’s column by highlighting a fantastic new volunteering initiative taking place throughout July.

Give a Day to Copeland is giving the opportunity to firms across the borough to give something back to the community.

Throughout July, businesses can make a public pledge of a project they and their workforce intends to support, and then they have a year to carry it out and have their good work publicised in the press, online and on social media.

There’s a tremendous sense of generosity and community spirit in Copeland, and you only have to look at the number of voluntary clean-ups and litter-picks that take part every weekend to illustrate this. But, at the same time, there are companies that perhaps would like to do more, but are unsure of where to start. Through Give a Day to Copeland, and linking up with "support wanted" requests from Cumbria Exchange, it provides an excellent platform from which everyone can benefit.

For more information visit www.giveadaytocopeland.org.uk

Speaking of community spirit, I’ve been delighted to visit a number of schools in our borough over the past couple of weeks to see the wonderful work they’re doing to help improve their communities. For example, our recent dog-fouling poster competition attracted entries from across Copeland as pupils used creative ways to speak out against irresponsible behaviour. I was delighted to attend Waberthwaite, St Patrick’s, Gosforth, Kells Infants and St Bridget’s schools to present the pupils with their prizes but also to chat with them about the issues affecting them.

One of the best entries we received was from Waberthwaite School’s Charlotte Pollard, who thoroughly deserved her prize for her creative and colourful design. Hopefully, the messages these youngsters are putting forward will resonate within their communities.

We all have a role to play in stamping irresponsible and anti-social behaviour. As a council, our enforcement team is very active, but we can’t do it alone and we rely on the community coming forward with information that leads us towards the culprits.

But it’s also about education and working with the younger generations, and improving behaviour long-term. That’s our aim.