Thursday 4 August 2011. The first meeting of the residents steering group was very successful and they are now planning their way forward! The next meeting is at Dundalk Street, Barrow Island at 6.30pm. New residents are welcome but please get in touch first so you can receive all the background information and reports. Ring Derek Brook on 01229 407575 or email: derek.brook@cumbria.gov.uk
Working together for a safer, cleaner and stronger neighbourhood.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Islands of Barrow and Furness peninsula walking festival concludes this weekend
School’s out, the sun’s shining and the final week of the Islands of Barrow and Furness Peninsula Walking Festival has something for everyone.
Wild creatures feature heavily with an exploration of the Duddon Estuary with pond nets as part of the Wildside project and a Bat Walk in Barrow Park.
Explore the scenery, fauna and flora of the Westfield Trail or be guided by a wildlife ranger around Sandcale Haws with a chance to see rare plants including the endemic dune helleborine and nationally scarce round leaved wintergreen.
John Murphy will be leading a Heritage of Furness Walk from Furness Abbey Amphitheatre meandering along Dickie Pinks Lane to Dalton and returning to Furness Abbey via The Haggs.
The Sunday Times on 21st June 2009 declared this Festival one of the best 8 Walking Festivals in the UK. The final week’s programme is:
28th July Creatures of the Estuary Sandscale Car Park 2 pm – 4 pm
28th July Walney North End Sunset walk 6.45pm Earnse Bay Car Park, Walney Island
29th July Local Heritage of Furness Walk Meet Furness Abbey Amphitheatre 6 pm
30th July Barrow’s Wildside Extended Westfield Trail 12 noon meet at The Concle Pub at Rampside (parking available on Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Foulney Island car park)
30th July Bat Walk 8.45 pm Barrow Park meet at The Pavilion
31st July Wildlife Walk Sandscale 11 am – 3 pm meet at National Trust Sandscale Haws Reserve Car Park, Hawthwaite Lane
Copies of the Walking Festival leaflet can be downloaded at
Mrs. Ann Taylforth, Barrow Town Centre and Festivals Manager commented “This is the eighth Walking Festival we have organised and it has proved very successful. Every year we try to find something a little different to add to the Festival programme as well as the well loved favourites. We had a wonderful weekend of walks last weekend and with the weather picking up, there is lots for everyone this coming weekend.”
All walks are being led by qualified walking guides and we are delighted to be working in collaboration with SeaChange, Feet First in Furness, Cumbria County Council, Westmorland and Furness Bat Group, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the National Trust. Walking Festival leaflets is available from Barrow Tourist Information Centre, outlets across South Cumbria and are featured in the What’s on in South Lakeland Guide. Details of all walks are available on line at www.barrowtourism.co.uk.”
Councillor John Murphy, Mayor of Barrow commented “The Furness Peninsula is a wonderful area of the country with stunning heritage and charming, picturesque walks. I urge everyone to come and explore the coastal fringes and byways of this wonderful area.”
The Islands of Barrow and Peninsulas Walking Festival is a five week festival of walks against the stunning backdrop of the Furness Peninsula and featuring the islands of Barrow and is a Barrow-in-Furness Sea Change Cultural Event. Follow ancient trails, greenways and coastal paths exploring the natural and built history of this south western corner of Cumbria.
“Walk and be happy, walk and be healthy” – Charles Dickens
Monday, 25 July 2011
Police warn of an old scam with a new twist
Cumbria police are appealing for people to be on their guard against fraudsters after two elderly residents were conned out of over £4,000.
The scam works by fraudsters calling residents, usually elderly or vulnerable people, telling them they are owed money in the form of refunded bank charges or from a payment protection insurance claim.
The caller then asks for an administration fee to process the repayment.
In the most recent cases, the victims were asked to pay the admin fee using UKASH vouchers, which are available in many local stores and are a legitimate money transfer service. To do this, the victim was asked to call back and provide the voucher numbers on the pretence that the person on the other end of the phone could check the money was present before transferring the bogus repayment.
However, once the voucher numbers are passed to the fraudster, they can access the funding and steal it from the victim.
Similar scams have taken place before, with fraudsters calling out of the blue and claiming that the victim is owed money from the following sources:
• The caller claims you have won a lottery, but you need to pay an admin fee to release the funds
• The caller claims they have uncovered an insurance policy in your name, but they require an admin fee to be paid before they can release the funds
• The caller claims you are due a council tax rebate, but you need to provide account details or pay a fee to release the funds
• The caller claims you owe money and will be taken to court
Anyone who receives such a call should either call the organisation back by getting their number from the Yellow Pages to verify their authenticity, or report the matter to police if they are suspicious.
Andy Baines, the Safer & Stronger Communities Officer for Cumbria Constabulary, said: “Anyone who is asked to pay a fee to release money should automatically be wary. In cases involving UKASH vouchers, the victim may think it is OK because the fraudster leads them to believe that they will only cash the voucher after the victim has received the money allegedly due to them. The fraudster asks for the numbers off the voucher as proof that the admin payment is available, but once they’ve got numbers from the voucher, they can access and withdraw the money.
“If anyone is using the UKASH voucher scheme, they should only give the voucher number to people who they trust and who they want the money to go to, and I would advise that they treat these vouchers as they would cash.”
Dave Thomson from Age UK South Lakeland said: “It is important that this warning is passed on to elderly or vulnerable friends, neighbours and relatives so that they do not fall foul of these scams.
“Fraudsters are targeting older people who can be trusting and are not always familiar with new technology.”
Andy Baines added: “Recent crimes in Cumbria have come to light through diligent staff at UKASH outlets alerting the victim to the fraud, and we would urge staff members at outlets across the county to continue helping prevent these crimes by giving advice to customers who would not normally be associated with such transactions, or who may seem vulnerable.”
For further information about protecting yourself from financial crime contact the Action Fraud hotline on 0300 123 2040, or visit www.actionfraud.org.uk
If you have any doubts to the validity of anyone’s identification please call Cumbria Constabulary on 0845 3300 247 and an officer will able to give advice on the issue.
Top tips to protect yourself from fraud
• Do not give personal details including banking details to anyone either in the street, on the doorstep, over the telephone or on the internet as these details can be used to steal your identity
• Consider registering with the Telephone Preference Service to stop unsolicited telephone calls. This is a free service. Further details can be obtained from http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/ or 020 7291 3320. Registration can be made on line or by phone 0845 070 0707
• Consider registering with the Mailing Preference Service as this supports the right to choose the mail you wish to receive. Further details can be obtained from http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/ or 020 7291 3310. Registration can be made on line or by phone 0845 703 4599. This is a free service
• Consider only registering for the full register when renewing electoral registrations. Electoral registers are updated every autumn and are lists of all the names and addresses of everyone who is eligible to vote. The full register is used for elections, preventing and detecting crime and checking applications for loans or credit. To ensure your name only appears on the full register you must opt out of appearing on the edited register. To do this you should enter a tick in the ‘edited register’ box. This will prevent personal information being made available for marketing and any other commercial activities. Further information can be found on www.direct.gov.uk/en/governmentcitizensandrights
• If you are a victim of fraudulent activity this can be reported to Action on Fraud at http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/ or telephone 0300 123 2040
• Refunds on services received (Council tax or Inland Revenue etc) will generally be made by the billing authority
• Beware of cold calls even when the caller appears to have personal information such as your address or bank account details. Legitimate callers will never be offended if you ask to call back in order to confirm their identity; when doing so always use a phone number that you’ve obtained from previous correspondence or an independent source such as phone book or an official website.
Mayors Charity Car Boot Sale
Friday 29 July 2011. The car boot sale will be held in the Tally Ho car park, Schneider Road, Barrow from 5pm. Cars cost £5, browsers 20p.
The money raised will pay for defibrillators to be placed around the town to help people if they suffer a heart attack and to pay for training on how to use them properlyc.
Friday, 22 July 2011
Thought for the Week
"It is through cooperation, rather than conflict, that your greatest successes will be derived." - Ralph Charell
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Cumbria CVS Volunteer Workshop - 13 September
Tuesday 2011 from 10am to 11.30am. Free refreshments provided.
Do you want to improve your skills and get a job in administration, youth work, health & social care, retail, driving, teaching, nursing, environmental work? Whatever job you are looking for why not gain some experience first by volunteering? Try volunteering to expand and enhance your CV and improve your job prospects. It is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, improve your skills, try a new challenge and it also helps to improve your confidence.
In Barrow our Volunteer Centre at Lesser Kings Hall Hartington Street is now holding monthly 'Introduction to Volunteers'. The sessions cover the wide range of volunteering opportunities, organisations that are needing volunteers, the benefits of volunteering and state benefits, training opportunities, courses and NVQ's available to volunteers. This is a fantastic opportunity to find out what is available to you. No skills or qualifications are necessary.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
FREE electric blanket safety tests
Cumbria Trading Standards will be carrying out examinations and safety checks
Monday 19 to Friday 23 September 2011 at Barrow Nan Tait Centre, Abbey Road.
Monday 3 to Friday 7 October 2011 at;
Committee Room 2, County Offices, Kendal
St Paul's Parish Church Hall, Grange
Methodist Church Hall, Harley Street, Ulverston
To arrange an appointment and obtain details of where to submit your blanket please contact Trading Standards on the following numbers:
Neville House, Ulverston 01229 404040
County Offices, Kendal 01539 713577
Testing is strictly by appointment only and limited numbers are available each day. Should your blanket fail one replacement under-blanket per household will be provided. This service is only available during the above dates.
Friday, 15 July 2011
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Cumbria remains one of the safest places in England and Wales
Statistics published today by the Home Office reveal that Cumbria has one of the lowest rates of crime in England and Wales.
The annual statistics show that crime is down by 4% in Cumbria, from 28,234 in 09/10 to 27,048 in 2010/11, representing 1,186 fewer victims of crime. It also reveals that Cumbria has the lowest rate of crime in England outside London’s square mile.
Tackling antisocial behaviour was the top priority for communities across Cumbria, and the annual statistics reveal that incidents of this nature fell by 11 per cent – from 37,174 reported incidents in 09/10 to 32,929 in 10/11.
The statistics also confirm that rates of burglary are the lowest in the North West, down by 15%, that criminal damage is down by 7%, violence against the person is down by 5% and vehicle crime is down by 17%. In fact, Cumbria has the lowest rate of vehicle crime in England outside the City of London, with a 53% fall in the number of incidents of vehicle interference, a 15% fall in the number of vehicles stolen and a 12% fall in the number of thefts from vehicles.
The number of drug offences in Cumbria rose last year by 8%, from 1,684 in 09/10 to 1,817 in 10/11, however, 96% of these were detected by police.
The number of sexual offences rose slightly from 385 in 09/10 to 391 in 10/11, and robbery also saw a rise from 47 offences in 09/10 to 66 in 10/11. Detection rates for robbery remain one of the highest in England and Wales, with 67% of robberies successfully detected by Cumbria Police.
Detection rates generally continue to rise, up from 25% in 2002/03 to 40% in 2010/11.
Confidence in Cumbria Constabulary remains high with 62% of local people saying police do an excellent or good job. 56% of people also say they are confident that Cumbria has a fair criminal justice system and 45% say they were confident the county has an effective criminal justice system.
Chief Constable Craig Mackey said: “I am pleased with our performance and happy that crime remains low in Cumbria.
“Tackling antisocial behaviour is the top priority for local communities, so a fall of eleven per cent in this category is particularly pleasing. We will continue to work closely with local residents and partner agencies to focus on the issues and concerns that matter most in each community. Our low rates of burglary also highlight that Cumbria is a safe place to live, work and visit.
“It is thanks to the strong links that police have with local communities that we are able to successfully tackle crime in Cumbria. We will continue to focus on neighbourhood policing, and encourage people to share their views and priorities with us via community and online meetings, so that we can make sure we continue tackling the issues that matter most to local people.
“The challenge for Cumbria Constabulary now is to maintain low rates of crime in a difficult financial climate. We will do everything we can to minimise the affect of budget cuts on frontline policing, and will continue to work closely with local communities to make Cumbria safer.”
Ray Cole, Chairman of Cumbria Police Authority, the policing watchdog for Cumbria, said: “The Police Authority commends the Constabulary’s continued high level of performance over the last twelve months. We welcome the considerable reductions in antisocial behaviour incidents, burglaries and other types of crime, which we know are of great concern to local communities. The Authority supports the Constabulary’s work and will continue to scrutinise the performance of the force to ensure we maintain low rates of crime in Cumbria.”
Shopping maps for Barrow and Dalton online now!
Shopping maps for Barrow-in-Furness and Dalton-in-Furness are now being featured on Barrow Borough Council’s websites, www.barrowbc.gov.uk and www.barrowtourism.co.uk
There is a link to Shopping on the front page of both sites which takes the user direct to the maps.
The maps show individual businesses and categorise them, so that visitors to the website can see if a shop is a department store, specialist shop etc. Businesses are allocated one of 15 categories.
The maps are a simplified version of the Council’s Open Source Web Mapping system, and users can zoom in on streets to obtain different levels of information and hover over areas to view the shop details. The full mapping system can be found at www.barrowbc.gov.uk/mapping
Mrs. Ann Taylforth, Barrow Town Centre and Festivals Manager commented “Barrow Borough Council has been innovative in embracing GIS mapping systems and this is another example of how this technology can help visitors and shoppers in the Borough. There has been no charge made to local businesses for their inclusion on these maps.”
For further information please contact Mrs. Ann Taylforth on 01229 876389.
LOVE Barrow … LOVE Shopping … LOVE your Town Centre
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Mayor launches defibrillator campaign to keep hearts going in Furness
The mayor of Barrow will this week present the first defibrillator of his planned year long campaign to save lives across the borough.
This year, the Mayor’s charity will raise money for defibrillators and encourage companies, shops and cafes to become Cardiac Smart, so they can help save lives when people have heart attacks.
On Saturday 16th July at 12 noon John Murphy, the Mayor of Barrow, will be presenting the first of many defibrillators to Thornton’s Coffee Shop.
Every year around 100 people in Furness die of coronary heart disease. In 2009, During there were 117 deaths from coronary heart disease in Furness, of these 64 were attributed to heart attacks.
Heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease is caused by the gradual build up of fatty deposits inside the coronary arteries which interrupts the normal blood flow to the heart. This is usually caused by smoking, an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.
People with a family history of coronary heart disease are also at high risk of developing the condition. The best way people can protect themselves from coronary heart disease is by being healthy, eating healthily and being active.
Research shows that if people receive CPR and early defibrillation within ten minutes of having a heart attack, then their chances of survival drastically increase.
Automatic external defibrillators can be used by anyone and are becoming more common place as technology improves and the price of defibrillators decreases. Cllr John Murphy is working with organisations across Furness including the British Heart Foundation, NHS Cumbria, Cumbria County Council, North West Ambulance Service and with support and encouragement from Furness First Responders to raise money to buy defibrillators and place them in areas with a high footfall, so they can potentially save lives in the future.
Alongside this he is also hoping to raise awareness of heart disease and how people can reduce their chance of developing the condition by improving their lifestyle choices, such as by smoking less, drinking less and eating a healthy balanced diet alongside taking regular exercise.
Cllr John Murphy said: "We probably all know of someone who has suffered with a heart attack. This is an important and innovative initiative and I am asking for the backing of the whole of Furness to support me in my campaign to put potentially lifesaving equipment (defibrillators) in public places across the town.
"It is not a case of people just handing over their money; that money might be used to save the life of a parent, grandparent or friend."
Anyone wishing to get involved in the Mayor’s Charity defibrillator campaign can do so by contacting the Mayor's Office on directorsadmin@barrowbc.gov.uk or drop donations into the Town Hall reception.
Monday, 11 July 2011
Cumbria Mental Health Group Meeting
Monday 11 July 2011 have their locality meeting at St Matthews Hall on Highfield Road, Barrow at 1.30pm-3.30pm.
They will be discussing the mental health team and are hoping a representative from the team will be coming along. All are welcome.
CADAS Open Day
Wednesday 20 July 2011 to be held at the CADAS Centre, 52 Paradise Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1JG from 11.30am to 3.30pm.
Find out about drug and alcohol awareness workshops, volunteer training, addictive behaviour training and much more. A buffet will be provided on the day, everyone welcome.
To confirm your attendance reply by Friday 8 July on 01229 811111.
Friday, 8 July 2011
Thought for the Week
“Taking care of our neighbors’ interests is essentially taking care of our own future.” Dalai Lama
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Princes Trust Team 17 Litter Pick
On Wednesday 13 July 2011 The Princes Trust Team 17 will be doing a litter pick and general clear up of the Abbey Road underpass.
We would like to involve young people (16-25 years) from the local community and would like to invite your organisation to help us. We would like around 6 volunteers and including staff to help us with our project.
We think this project will greatly benefit the local community as the underpass has been in disrepair for a very long time and clearing up all of the glass, graffiti, litter and weeds will make it more presentable and will encourage more people to use it and hopefully discourage people from misusing it.
If you would like any more information please contact Danny Vigus or Matthew Morris on 01229 838521.
Summer activities 2011 - lots on offer!
There's lots to do throughout this Summer - sports, wildlife, walks, Dock Museum, Park Leisure Centre and much more ... lots of FREE stuff, some cheap and some you'll have to pay for but there's something for everyone!
Follow the link to find out more ...
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Under 18s using fake ID face arrest in Barrow
Police are sending out a second warning to under 18s in Barrow that they could face arrest if they continue to try and use fake or ‘borrowed’ ID to get into pubs and clubs.
Officers highlighted the issue back in April when officers were being handed around five forms of identification every weekend after door and bar staff confiscated those that were used fraudulently.
This trend hasn’t decreased and since March, almost 100 driving licenses and passports have been seized in Barrow. Each has been forwarded by police to the Identity and Passport service and DVLA.
Sergeant Ian McClymont who has responsibility for policing the night time economy in Barrow said: “We hoped that young people would listen to our warning and take our advice on board but, sadly, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
“Door staff are continuing to challenge underage people who are trying to con their way into their premises using fake ID and we are concerned at the number of young people who are attempting to commit fraud. Attempting to use fake ID or ID that belongs to a friend or family member is a criminal offence that has serious consequences - you could even be sent to prison.
“We have had almost 100 driving licences and passports confiscated in Barrow since March. Each one has been sent off to the DVLA or the Home Office so the owners will have to go through the hassle of re-applying – and there’s no guarantee that they will be sent replacements.
“We would again urge people to stop and think before lending somebody their ID. We work hard with licensees and door staff to stop young people getting sold alcohol and this is a worrying trend that we are determined to stop.”
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
FREE 'Gardening for Wildlife Workshop'
Saturday 13 August 2011, 9.30-12noon
Neighbourhood Management office, 242/244 Daltron Rd, Barrow LA14 1PN
The workshop will be run by Sue Thurley, Barrow's Wildside Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust (www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/barrows-wildside.html) and find out how you can attract wildlife to your back yard or garden. What plants attract different types of wildlife, benefits of planting native species. Make a minibeast house, bird or bat box and turning your wall into a living wall. Look at simple wildlife friendly techniques to discourage garden pests.
To book a place call Neighbourhood Management on 01229 876546 or email neighbourhoodmgt@barrowbc.gov.uk
Monday, 4 July 2011
Northern Soul & Motown Night
Saturday 10th September 8pm – 1am at the forum, Duke Street.
Tickets £6 in advance / £7 on the door.
The sounds of Northern Soul and Motown will return to the forum again in the Autumn with 6 outstanding DJ’s.
Friday, 1 July 2011
Thought for the Week
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” Albert Einstein