The Furness For You Partnership has officially launched its online support hub designed to connect people across the Furness area with the help, services and activities they need.
The free website brings together information from a wide range of organisations and builds on the Partnership’s missions to tackle social isolation, promote volunteering, and strengthen community ties.
David Carradus from Barrow admitted he was “struggling a lot” before he found the Furness For You website. “I was looking for some support. I've felt a little bit isolated. I was looking for courses or groups that I could attend that would benefit me, to help with the isolation. I'm looking into volunteering roles as well because I think perhaps it'll lead to me looking to get back into employment as well.
“It's made me feel better about myself really. I just feel like I've got a bit more of a spring in my step again now, to get involved in more stuff and get a bit more confidence as well.”
The long-held ambition of Westmorland and Furness councillors has now become a reality, providing a single online space for people to access local groups, events and volunteering opportunities, all aimed at strengthening community connection and tackling loneliness.
The website takes its name from the Furness For You Partnership which was established in 2023 to bring together charities, community groups and public sector partners working across Barrow and the Furness area. Building on the ethos of the Partnership, the hub aims to support ‘Furness For You’ to grow into a wider movement for social connection and community action.
Councillor Tony Callister, Chair of Furness Locality Board within Westmorland and Furness Council, said:
“The site is useful for people in our local community and also for support workers and practitioners, who use the information to signpost people to what they will find useful.
“The Furness For You Partnership provided a springboard for this initiative. The website builds on the ethos of the partnership and supports Furness For You to become a movement for Barrow and the Furness area.”
Furness Locality Board commissioned Cumbria CVS to manage the website on the behalf of communities in the Furness area. It is free to use and is regularly updated with details of local services, community groups, events and volunteering opportunities.
Whether people are looking for help, want to get involved in activities, or are keen to give back by volunteering, furnessforyou.org.uk aims to make it easy to find and connect with what’s available locally.
For a longer video interview with David Carradus, please visit the council’s YouTube channel.