Anne Attwood Is Superwoman

Most of this money is being spent on new state of the art 21st century buildings which means they will have a lifespan of less than 50 years before another generation of evangelical missionaries decide they are no longer 'fit for purpose' as learning facilities.

Furness Colleges existing buildings didn't even get to the 50 year mark. They are only 17-18 years old and they are to be torn down. I'm all for tearing down carbuncles. Barrows existing market hall/mall should have gone years ago, but when the carbuncle is hidden away on an industrial estate behind many other industrial buildings then that's okay.

But it isn't for Mrs Attwood. She wants an iconic landmark building that leads the regeneration of Barrow and she's going to get one. It'll still be hidden away on an industrial estate when it should really be built alongside the new iconic Academy building that will spring up from Parkview's verdant fields along with an iconic sculpture of Mrs Attwood as she moulds herself as a modern day James Ramsden but that is not to be.

So yet another construction company gets a massive public contract in the name of regeneration. Barrow of course will get brand new facilities that will be touted as being for 'community use' in the same way the Academy sites are meant to be used by the community and the broke University of Cumbria will at last get a presence in Barrow so all in all for the  ubiquitous 'Furness learner' all is going to be well.

Here's what the good lady herself had to say to her newsletter people the Evening Mail.

Anne Attwood, principal of Furness College, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the final outcome of the LSC's value for money programme. Furness College has been selected as one of only 12 capital projects to be approved throughout the country. There were 180 similar applications.

"A building project in excess of £40m will be a major contribution to the regeneration of Barrow and the Furness area.
"It will be a landmark building providing state-of-the-art accommodation and delivering programmes for school pupils taking Diploma courses through to university degrees.

"The new build will also provide facilities for the University of Cumbria.The college has been supported by local industry and commerce, Furness MP John Hutton, Barrow Borough Council and Cumbria County Council."

Mrs Attwood said this is more brilliant news for the area's learners, following the approval of Furness Academy, of which Furness College is a sponsor.

As you can see she could be talking about the Furness Academy Limited new build or the Furness College new build.
Both have been supported by those who "think they are worthy". Both have been supported by local industry and commerce, apparently.
Naturally she cannot resist linking her college with her Academy.

The line between the two institutions is now permanently blurred and it is yet to be seen whether this is a positive or negative thing for Barrows children. But what is clear is that Mrs Attwood has a vision of building a production line of young workers for local companies whose aspirations will not be allowed to wander too far from Barrow and that to me is a travesty.
Thankfully Barrows young people are able to see beyond the Borough boundary and enter the world of opportunity beyond that imaginary line so they actually go to educational institutions which provide them with the education they decide they need not the one Mrs Attwood and co have planned out for them.
Many more go to work away which is of course bad for Barrow and Cumbria, at least according to the Government and Moira Swann. If nobody moved away from their place of birth for their employment or education then the world would be a much poorer place.
The fact that there are so many non-Barrovians involved in both the college scheme and the Academy scheme makes a mockery of the aims of this Furness college/academy amalgam.

Mrs Attwood doesn't live in Barrow of course she lives in Levens!

Link