A special event welcoming new staff who have chosen to come and work here is being held in west Cumbria this weekend.

The Tea With The Team event has been organised by a community co-production group and is being held at the Rosehill Theatre on Sunday.

The idea has come from members of the community who are leading the Recruitment and Retention Working Group which is supporting work to secure consultant-led maternity services at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Rachel Holliday who chairs the groups said: “We are working together to find new ways to welcome NHS workers, who are desperately needed to keep our hospitals and services going. We also want everyone to know how much we already admire our long standing NHS staff and their commitment.

“Our group is made up of people from the community who want to see our NHS thrive. Tea with the Team is about welcoming new staff to our NHS and celebrating what we already have here in West Cumbria.

“We want to make sure new recruits have everything they possibly need to settle in and stay not just for the short term, but for the future.  We want every one of them to become a valued member of this fantastic community which I am so proud to be a part of.”

The group want people who choose to move to the area to be able to settle quickly and encourage others to make the move to Cumbria too.

By offering a social activity where other people will be in the same boat we hope our new staff can start to build links with our community, and we want to help by with the chance to meet organisations offering activities and networks.

Julie Clayton from NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group said: “This seems like such a simple idea but can really make a difference. It offers a personal touch and that is one of things that makes Cumbria so special. We’d urge anyone new to the area and new to NHS, social care or the third sector to come along.

“We hope that this will help people settle and encourage others to think about moving here and start to improve our recruitment and retention challenges.”

New starters in the NHS, social care or the third sector should come to the event at the Rosehill Theatre near Whitehaven on Sunday May 13 between 2.30-6.30pm.

Any community-based organisations which can offer social activities with the opportunity to build links and friendships that would like to be involved should contact NHS North Cumbria CCG by emailing enquiries@northcumbriaccg.nhs.uk

It is open to all parts of the NHS including primary care, hospital, community and mental health services as well as home carers, care workers, students at the UCLan campus at West lakes near Whitehaven and others.

If the event proves successful it could be repeated later in the year.