LAKELAND CBD
About Us
As Cumbria’s first cannabis company, we’re not just building a brand, we’re building a community. Here at Lakeland CBD we strive to be the UK’s number one source of cannabidiol products and information.
2
Years in Business
4
Locations
17
Products
If you’d asked me 10 years ago what I’d be doing in 2020, I would never have dreamed that I’d be running a cannabis company, but, here we are. We are helping people, breaking down some of the biggest barriers in terms of stigma & discrimination and supporting the most radical change to drugs policy and the war on drug the UK has ever seen. I really am living the dream.
Cannabis has been a part of my life since I was a teenager but it wasn’t until I started Lakeland CBD that I realised the full potential of this wonderful plant. Cannabis entrepreneur Arjan Roskam once said “If we can live our dream, if you can live your hobby – if you can make from your hobby your work – that’s the best satisfaction you can have in life”. And he’s right. Cannabis is my hobby and I’m lucky enough to work in an industry that wants nothing more than to give people the quality of life they deserve. If ever there was a specific example for the definition of job satisfaction, that’s it.
How it all began…
With 22 years of friendship behind them, our Directors Luke & Nic are the ultimate dynamic duo. With Nic’s creativity and inspired, blue sky thinking combines with Luke’s magical methodology, meticulous eye for detail, and innovative problem -solving skills. We have the perfect balance to flourish whilst keeping to our core ethics. Hailing from the Lake District in Cumbria, Nic and Luke spent their adolescent years side by side through high school with Luke acting as a huge support to Nic through her battle with Mental health after being diagnosed with Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorder at 15.
Fast forward to 18 years later: Nic, after being flooded by Storm Desmond, hit a rough patch and was recommended CBD by a family friend in the psychotherapy and counseling sector. After considerable research and a lot of trial and error, Nic found an oil that worked; but she also found that the CBD market was a minefield. There was a lot of online information and no one to speak to, just faceless websites. Nic, knowing that Luke had been a cannabis advocate since they were younger, shared her findings over a beer and a burger one night. The rest, as they say, is history. Following 2 years of trading, They have established Lakeland CBD as Cumbria’s First Cannabis Company providing consistently reliable high -quality CBD products on the UK market. The available product range is expanding rapidly, we are building a network of retailers who will stock our products locally and we are moving closer to manufacturing our products in-house!
Our Story
From small acorns grow big trees
June 11, 2018
Founded
Lakeland CBD opened its doors to the public for the first time. Situated in the Atlas Works, Nelson Street Carlisle. We have a small office and seating area for customers to come, sit, grab a brew. Our door is always open, whether you want to purchase products, find out more information or talk about the industry in general were always game for a lively debate and we have a soapbox reserved for those who require it!
June 21, 2018
Hit The Headlines
Lakeland CBD hit the local headlines with a front page spread in the News and Star. Our director Nic Hewitt bared her soul in an emotional piece, describing how she has battled with her mental health since she was 15 being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality disorder. Nic goes on to describe how she stumbled across CBD at a particularly tough time in her life and how CBD has changed her life. You can read the full story here.
September 6, 2018
Joined Carlisle Ambassadors
Being Cumbria’s first Cannabis Company, we knew that we would be faced with stigma and the challenges that go with it. So we talked to Michelle Masters at Carlisle Ambassadors and she was so excited that we were considering joining. They welcomed us with open arms and we attend meetings when we can and have made some great contacts through their networking events. If you would like more information about Carlisle Ambassadors check out their website here.
September 20, 2018
Founded The Hemp-Cooperative
The CBD industry in the UK is completely unregulated. This became very apparent at the Expo with companies from China and the USA showcasing and selling illegal products. As a company, we have tried from the very beginning to be compliant, transparent, and honest. To allow the industry to flourish and keep the little companies in business our director Nic along with Sally Honey & Marc Honey of The Little Hemp Shop formed The Hemp Cooperative. A business to business networking group for small and medium-sized businesses to network, share ideas, and help each other along the way. What tart out as 2 little companies, the group now boasts over 250 members with companies from all over the UK and some in Europe. THC is planning big things for 2020 so watch this space! If you want more info on The Hemp Cooperative you can check out their website here.
December 8, 2018
First Christmas Markets
Although Lakeland CBD is based in Carlisle both our Directors Nic & Luke hail from Whitehaven in the West of the county. Whitehaven has been a struggling town since the first recession and Nic has been active in the community trying to find innovative ways to boost the economy, she along with Rachel Holiday set up the first of Whitehaven’s Christmas markets way back in 2014. When the chance to hold a stall at the same market 4 years down the line in their home time Nic and Luke jumped at the chance! You can find more information about what happening in Whitehaven here.
March 2, 2019
Stand at the very first Hemp and CBD Expo at the NEC in Birmingham
On the 2nd of March 2019, history was made at the NEC in Birmingham. They hosted the UK’s first Hemp and CBD Expo. Being the first event of its kind, it cemented the cannabis industry in the UK, giving it traction and bringing cannabis and hemp businesses together from all over the world. As members of CannaPro, Lakeland CBD was able to showcase our little company on a stand at the expo alongside Peter Reynolds, the founder of CannaPro. A huge moment for us on the Hemp and CBD world stage.
June 11, 2019
Celebrated A Whole Year In Business
Lakeland CBD celebrated our first year in business. With the help and support of our families and friends we drank, we ate and we danced. A truly momentous moment for us. There was also cake.
July 10, 2019
First Wholesale Deal With Nchantments
July saw Lakeland CBD cement their first wholesale deal with John and Euni Campbell, owners of Nchantments. They now stock a full range of Lakeland CBD, the first place in Gourock Scotland to stock cannabis products. Check out their shop here.
November 4, 2019
We Said Goodbye To Our Original Little Bottles
With progression and innovation comes sacrifice …
With the development of our syringes and our new capsules at higher strengths, being able to offer them at more affordable prices, we discontinued our original little bottles. We were sad to see them go as they were the first products we had on the shelves. But moving forward we’re so proud of our syringe and capsules. We’re only going to keep moving forward!
June 11, 2020
Celebrated 2 Years In Business
With 2 years in business under our belt, and with the whole country in lockdown, we decided to make history (again 
) and make a huge splash. We are Cumbria’s First Cannabis Company with the first CBD advert to go out on ITV Border.
With the red tape and constraints over the advertising of CBD and cannabis, this is a huge step for us and a giant one for the industry. Having CBD in the mainstream was always our goal, and it goes to show….we’re very much here to stay!
Ladies and Gentlemen, May I Please Introduce…
OUR Directors
Nic Hewitt
Executive Director
This redheaded firecracker is Nic our Executive Director and Lakeland CBD was born out of her personal journey through mental health with CBD. Nic has a background in Criminal Justice, Pharmacy and Community Work and is our go-to person for all thing compliance.
She has recently turned her hand to the manufacturing side of the business and is constantly dreaming up new weird and wonderful ways to use CBD as part of your daily routine.
Nic is a huge supporter of the #ShopLocal initiative and is always on the lookout for local businesses to collaborate with. If you think you could perhaps work with Lakeland CBD, then she’s your woman.
Nic is also one of the founders of The Hemp Co-Operative UK, the UK’s biggest B2B Hemps & CBD Networking Group that focuses on Education, Compliance & Collaboration. Working with over 250SME’s across the UK and Europe, she’s making big waves in the industry and putting Cumbria on the make in her wake!.
Luke Woodend
Procurement Director
This majestic bearded, you could even say Lordly specimen is our Procurement Director Luke. Luke I constantly on the lookout for new products to add to the Lakeland Brand and his ethos is simple “quality over quantity” and he won’t settle for anything but the best.
Luke prides himself on sourcing only products that deliver a full daily dose of CBD. No Gimmicks here. Luke hails from a background in Popular Culture and Media and his vivid imagination and eye for detail are brought to life by our designers at Flying Fox Creative. Luke has been a cannabis advocate for many years and has seen a huge improvement in his own health and wellbeing since incorporating CBD into his daily routine.
Lakeland CBD The Story…
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