Barrow Foodbank has been given a £4,500 boost by Furness Building Society.
The cash, raised during the society’s AGM, will help the foodbank lease an electric van.
The foodbank was presented with the donation at Furness’ Annual General Meeting following the society’s pledge to contribute £1 to the charity for every vote cast.
One in every four people in the UK live below the poverty line and Barrow Foodbank provides three days’ nutritionally-balanced food and support for those in need.
Last year, this equated to 6,232 people.
A further £1,000 was donated by the society to the Furness Education & Skills Partnership (FESP) to support its ongoing efforts to raise aspirations and improve life chances for young people by linking education with real-world work opportunities.
Representatives from both Barrow Foodbank and FESP were present at this year’s Furness Building Society AGM to share information about their vital work supporting individuals and families across the local community.
The 2026 event also included Furness’ first-ever members conference, offering members a valuable opportunity to speak directly to team members about a range of important topics including financial crime, digital savings and the continued evolution of the branch network.
Simon Broadley, chief executive of Furness Building Society, said: “Our AGM is always a brilliant opportunity for us to connect directly with our members, listen to their views and discuss the issues that matter most to them.
“This year, we’ve introduced an interactive conference as part of the event to ensure member voices continue to shape our future on critical topics such as financial crime and digital savings.
“We’re also incredibly proud to use our annual event to support Barrow Foodbank and FESP whose work makes a real and lasting difference in our communities. It’s rewarding to know that our donation will help these invaluable organisations to continue supporting individuals and families who are in need.”
Matthew Burden, manager at Barrow Foodbank said: “This generous donation from Furness Building Society will make a huge difference to our ability to support people across Barrow who are facing food crisis.
“Leasing a new electric van will strengthen our delivery operations and help us reach more individuals and families who rely on our services during difficult times.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Furness and its members for their continued support of our work and the wider community.”
