Officers across Cumbria carried out warrants and targeted wanted individuals as part of the latest week of action (10 – 14 July), resulting in arrests on suspicion of offences including robbery, burglary, possession of an offensive weapon, blackmail and drug driving. Those arrested by officers included a number who were wanted for prison recall,… Continue reading Operation Merlin – More than 20 arrested across Cumbria in proactive policing crackdown

A man from Cumbria has led the development of an app that will let the team of over 500 train presentation operatives at Northern know ‘to the minute’ when any train on their network was last cleaned. Sebastian Chromiak, who grew up in Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness in South Cumbria and now lives in Didsbury, Greater… Continue reading Man from Cumbria the brainchild of new approach to keep the region’s trains clean

A beautifully designed breast screening space has been created at Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow to enhance care for patients and to provide an improved environment. The refurbished and expanded space, which has state-of-the art scanning technology and mood lighting, is ensuring that patients have the best possible experience with the North Lancashire and South Cumbria Breast Screening Service run by University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT). Emily Brooks, Deputy Head of Breast Screening for the service, said: “We have made significant improvements to our service by putting in new equipment and redesigning the breast screening room at FGH. “We have expanded the space to create a much more attractive environment for our patients and colleagues.” The North Lancashire and South Cumbria Breast Screening Service provides routine breast screening for women over the age of 50, and offers services to anyone referred to the service by a GP. Emily, a mammographer by profession, said: “If anything is found during a routine breast screening appointment, the person would be recalled and we would investigate. “The new equipment enables us to have a 3D view which provides a lot more detail and helps with locating any lesions. It’s the latest technology and it’s highly reliable, which provides reassurance for our patients. “Patients referred to us by a GP see a surgeon, have a consultation, have an ultrasound scan and receive all of their results on the same day. Everything happens during the same appointment, which means less time for our patients to wait.” The new equipment in the breast screening room was funded by NHS England and the space was designed by the Trust’s Estates and Capital Services Team. The room is based in The Furness Suite breast screening unit at FGH. Nicole Chiu-Richards, a mammographer with UHMBT, said: “It’s much better for our patients because the space is bigger and it’s nicely designed. “The new equipment means we can provide an even better experience and service for patients. From a staff perspective, it’s much nicer to work in because everything is new, there’s more space and it has a nice atmosphere. Everybody is excited to use the space. “We have a big uptake for breast screening in the South Cumbria region. We can respond very quickly for people who have symptoms of breast cancer. We see women and men in the unit at FGH.” Emily added: “Our Estates and Capital Services Team has done a fantastic job with the room. A huge amount of thought and care was put into the design. Everyone has been focused on improving the experience for patients which has been great. “Our next steps are to create similar rooms at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) and at Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal. Work is starting on the room at the RLI in July and at WGH in October, so we’ll eventually have new breast screening rooms at all three of our main hospital sites.” For more information about the Lancashire and South Cumbria Breast Screening Service at UHMBT, please go to: https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk/our-services/services/breast-services

A community has joined together to celebrate the official reopening of a ‘pocket park’ designed to help ensure people of all ages have access to attractive green space and opportunities for natural play. The Argyle Place Pocket Park, in Barrow, has benefited from a host of new trees and plants, reclaimed seating and paving, stepping… Continue reading Community celebrates official reopening of town centre ‘pocket park’

Councillors have endorsed preliminary designs for a new cycling, walking and wheeling route along Abbey Road in Barrow. A meeting of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Furness Locality Board, which is made up of councillors representing the Barrow area, agreed this week (12 July) the new cycleway option along Abbey Road should be in the footway… Continue reading Abbey Road active travel scheme backed by councillors

Judges from Cumbria in Bloom have visited Barrow after the town entered the prestigious annual contest for the first time in more than 15 years. The panel enjoyed a tour of floral displays and planting in the town centre as well as a guided walk around the 45-acre Thomas Mawson-designed Barrow Park; a tree-filled oasis… Continue reading Cumbria in Bloom judges enjoy tour of Barrow for first time in more than 15 years

A new bus pass giving young people greater freedom to travel for less in Westmorland and Furness and beyond is being launched this week. The A2B Now card is a reduced fare bus travel card for 5-20 year olds living in Westmorland and Furness outside school travel times. Costing £70,000 and aimed at reducing transport… Continue reading New bus pass scheme is just the ticket