Cumbria Community Foundation - Furness: Opportunities and Challenges 2021

F U R N E S S – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 3 Foreword This report is long overdue. The town of Barrow and the wider rural area of Furness face some big challenges. But, until now, we have never had a document which sets out all the issues and can act as a road map towards solutions. This report is vital, not just as a focus on where funding needs to go but also to support Cumbria Community Foundation in bringing more people and investors on board. And I believe there has never been a better time to galvanise support for change, after our experiences with the Covid-19 pandemic. The people of Furness have shown the power of their community spirit and willingness to help each other during this crisis. I think the £25m town centre funding we have secured can also be pivotal in creating improvement. There is a feeling of determination to go forward better and stronger. It is essential that this report reaches a wide audience so that we can begin to attract funding and implement change and wrap our arms around the people that need support. I was born in Ulverston and have lived in Barrow all my life. My dad Brian was chair of Barrow Association Football Club when it was community owned and I was a director for 12 years. As a local guy who works in the area for my career, I have seen some of the challenges year on year. It is an area of haves and have nots. We have a lot of people in high paid jobs with good lifestyles, and others who are struggling and need support. We have to unlock both sides. In Furness there is huge community spirit and passion for the area. The diverse skillsets here are second to none and we have industrial capabilities probably unmatched anywhere else in the UK. The economic strengths and opportunities, the blue- chip companies and the beautiful natural setting are great assets. The potential of the area is huge. There should be nothing negative to say about Barrow and Furness. I think we have got to wake up. There are a lot of successful people around the Furness area. The problems faced by many people in our community may seem invisible. But I hope this report will wake up businesses and individuals that there are issues here - and also plenty of potential solutions. There has to be a pathway for everyone in Furness to live a secure, safe, healthy life. Now, with this report, we have a document which gives us focus and direction to help make the changes the area needs. Tony Keen, MD of SN Group engineering based in Barrow and Millom, and chair of Cumbria Community Foundation’s Furness Committee