PEOPLE with a passion for the uplands met at Newton Rigg college to discuss the future of the areas following Brexit.

Those who attended form a proportion of the Uplands Alliance which aims to demonstrate the public benefits of the upland areas in the north.

The alliance also aims to work with the government to ensure the support for their projects through policy and public funding. At the meeting's workshop ideas for how to make this happen were discussed.

Participants included hill farmers, conservation organisations and government agencies including Defra and Natural England.

Members from Cumbria were joined by people who came from places further afield such as the Peak District, the North and South Pennines and Northumberland.

The workshop was addressed by Dame Helen Ghosh, Director General of the National Trust; Nicola Riley, Defra's Head of Uplands, Peatlands and Soils; and Robin Milton, NFU Uplands Spokesman.

Further input was provided by Jane Barker, Deputy Chair of the Lake District National Park Authority and Jim Bailey, Chair of the North York Moors National Park Authority.

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Dame Helen Ghosh said: "We want to stand alongside our farm tenants in the uplands to look after this most wonderful legacy of landscapes, buildings and farming traditions with local communities to help them flourish."

Julia Aglionby, Chairman of the Uplands Alliance, summarised the day.

She said: "It was fantastic to see so much positive energy. There is substantial common ground between those who care about, manage, conserve and farm the uplands.

"We all value the northern uplands for their health, well being and environmental benefits.

"Going forward, with the appropriate support, we can enhance these while maintaining each area's distinctive cultural heritage and communities."