Volunteers were out in force sharing their passion for Carlisle as they gave a day and their skills to improve parts of the city.

From building a BBQ area to constructing a path, clearing an overgrown site to improving the disabled facilities at Brunton Park, there were many projects and hundreds of people involved in the Give a Day to the City initiative.

The idea behind Give a Day is for people and businesses to give what they can – their skills, services and time – to improve Carlisle.

It was developed by Andy Fearon, of Carlisle Vineyard Church, who first had the idea for the initiative, and Carlisle Ambassadors. Saturday was the main day when people helped out on projects.

Employees and volunteers from Story Contracting, Capita, Eden Rivers Trust, Eco-Tech Systems, Carlisle City Council, Eden Woodlands, DSD Construction, Cito Cleaning and many other businesses were involved as well, as others who had just heard about the initiative.

Builder Ian Jackson, of Castlerigg Drive, Morton, decided to join in after hearing about it through Carlisle Ambassadors.

He was part of a team who made and painted a BBQ area at Water Street Family Accommodation near Carlisle city centre.

Mr Jackson said: “You get to a certain age in your life where you’ve taken from the city, what about giving something back?”

The volunteer thought the response to the initiative had been overwhelming, a sentiment echoed at projects all over the city.

The included behind the Sands Centre, where many businesses, co-ordinated by Capita, worked together to build a new access route to the River Eden.

The track before was full of holes and was difficult for wheelchair users to use.

Jayne Garbutt, business manager at Capita, said: “I’m absolutely gobsmacked at what the guys have achieved in a day. I think it really will be a benefit to Carlisle.

“If lots of people got together and did these sorts of projects around the city it would look fantastic. It just shows you what you can do with like-minded people who want to give a little bit of time.”

A derelict and overgrown site just off Welsh Road, Harraby, was transformed thanks to the time and effort of employees of Story Contracting and Eden Woodlands, who had the difficult task of cutting back all the overgrown vegetation.

Skips were filled with all sorts of rubbish.

The plan is for the transformed site to be handed back to the council, who may make it into allotments.

Mr Fearon hopes it will grow next year and said that because it is just a concept, it could be replicated all over the world.